Cougars Shut Out #15th-Ranked Gamecocks - CofCSports.com--Official Web site of College of Charleston Athletics

Wednesday, October 20

Patriot's Point

6pm

College of Charleston

South Carolina

Cougars Shut Out #15th-Ranked Gamecocks - CofCSports.com--Official Web site of College of Charleston Athletics

10/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

#articleRelated { display: none !important; } As the final seconds ticked off the scoreboard at the Patriots Point Athletic Complex, the College of Charleston began to chant "overrated!" Maybe they were right.

Troy Lesesne scored a goal and added an assist and Cougars keeper Keith Wiggins recorded his fourth shutout to lead the College of Charleston men's soccer team past 15th-ranked South Carolina, 3-0, Wednesday night in front of a standing-room-only crowd of 1,637.

With the victory, the Cougars improved to 10-4-0 overall and helped their chances of securing an NCAA tournament bid. The Gamecocks, losers of three straight, dropped to 8-4-1.

The Cougars dominated the nationally-ranked Gamecocks from the opening kickoff, outshooting South Carolina, 26-15.

"This was by far our most complete game of the season," said Wiggins, who was forced to make just five saves during the match. "We've played well for a half and then come out in the second half and had a letdown and just sat back and played defense. But tonight, we kept attacking them in the second half. We were in their face all night. We kept pressing."

College of Charleston coach Ralph Lundy agreed.

"The boys were amazing tonight," Lundy said. "The first half was great soccer. The second half we had some lapses, but overall, this was a great performance.

The boys just wanted it tonight. I couldn't be prouder of them."

The victory might have clinched an NCAA tournament bid for the Cougars.

"We beat them two years ago, but anytime you beat South Carolina it's a big win," Lesesne said. "We need to beat teams like this to make the tournament."

The Cougars took a 1-0 lead 15 minutes into match on Lesesne's direct kick. Tony Myers got the play going when he made a strong run down the right side. Myers ran past Gamecocks' defender Makan Hislop and got a clear shot on USC keeper Brad Guzan. Guzan stopped the shot, but failed to control the rebound. Myers ran the ball down on the left side and was fouled Daniel Upchurch.

Lesesne's direct kick from the left side sailed over the head of Guzan in the top corner for the score

"I was trying to put it in the box and fortunately it went back post and we got a big goal early," Lesesne said.

Charleston extended its advantage to 2-0 on George Grygar's goal with 15:01 left in the first half. Jermey Gold came down the left side, sent a ball into the middle that Grygar trapped. Grygar took two short dribbles and blasted the ball past Guzan for the score.

The Cougars kept the pressure on the Gamecocks during the second half.

Lesesne had another excellent scoring chance early in the second half. The 5-7 senior from Columbia got the ball in the 18-yard box, pivoted to his right, then spun back to his left and blasted a shot that Guzan made a diving stab at to knock out of bounds.

The Gamecocks had their best chance to score in the second half off a corner kick. After Ayo Akinsete's corner kick, the ball bounced around the six-yard box and onto the foot of Gamecocks marking back Greg Reece. Reece, who had most of the net to shoot at, missed when his shot sailed high over the goalpost.

Charleston pushed its lead to 3-0 on Myers' sixth goal of the season with 10:17 left in the game. Lesesne served a long ball to Myers, who beat one Gamecock defender, and then blasted the ball past Huzan for the score.