Confident Gamecocks excited to host Mercer in NCAA Tournament
South Carolina men's soccer entered the preseason ranked in the top-25 and with high expectations, but after opening the year with two straight losses many looking in from the outside may have wondered if the Gamecocks would be able to respond and put together a solid season that included a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Well, the Gamecocks have responded and then some.
That response will come full circle as the Gamecocks get set to host a first round NCAA Tournament match at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17, at Stone Stadium.
South Carolina's aforementioned second loss of the young season on Aug. 30, 2016, came in a narrow 3-2 double overtime loss to Mercer (13-6-1, 7-3-0 SoCon).
Ironically, South Carolina's opening opponent in this year's NCAA Tournament is that same Mercer team that dealt them the loss that could have sent the season going in the right direction.
Instead shortly thereafter the Gamecocks reeled off an eight-match unbeaten streak that eventually led to the Gamecocks entering this year's NCAA Tournament with a record of 10-7-1 overall. The Gamecocks finished second overall in the Conference USA standings with a league mark of 5-2-1.
"I'm really pleased and proud for our team," South Carolina men's soccer head coach Mark Berson said during a special media availability on Tuesday, Nov. 15. "They've put together a very good body of work during the regular-season and finished the conference regular-season as the No. 2 team in the league, and it's a very tough league, we've got four four teams in the NCAA Tournament. I think this group has represented themselves well to have an opportunity to move on in the NCAA Tournament."
The fact that Southern Conference champion Mercer is the one that the Gamecocks will be hosting in round one of the NCAA Tournament is definitely not lost on Berson and his squad.
"The natural reaction is you're happy to play a team that we played in the regular-season so we know about them, that they beat us in the regular-season, so that's certainly incentive for our players," Berson said. "They're a very good team, and congratulations to them on winning the Southern Conference and getting in the NCAA Tournament. Last year against Furman we played the champion of the Southern Conference and it was a really close game that went to penalties, so we're expecting that this will be a really close game and a hard-fought game. I think our guys are ready. I think they're confident and I think they're ready to go and anxious to get on with the game on Thursday."
Berson feels like his squad definitely knows what the Bears are bringing to the table in their second matchup of the season.
"I think Mercer is going to do what they do well," Berson said. "They're a very well-organized team. They're a big team, they're a strong team, they're a battling team, they don't give you anything defensively, and I think that's their persona and I would expect we'll see that again. I don't think they're really going to change too much from what they do, but they're very accomplished. It will be a really tough game. We're expecting that we're going to need to move the ball quickly, that we're going to have to be very accurate on our passing and we've got to take advantage of the chances that we have."
In the first meeting of the year between the two it was South Carolina that controlled play, but the Gamecocks had trouble converting some of their chances in the game.
Berson knows all of that could play huge in the NCAA Tournament match.
"We had a lot of chances where we just need to finish in critical situations, and I think that's going to be the case on Thursday," Berson said. "When we've got an opportunity, we need to capitalize."
With a win over Mercer the Gamecocks would have the chance to advance to face rival Clemson in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, but Berson, who is now tied with Maryland men's soccer head coach Sasho Cirovski for the most NCAA Tournament appearances all-time at 22, says that is the last thing on the mind of the Gamecocks.
"We have to get to the second round," Berson said. "We have no other things on our mind except Mercer."
In general, Berson points out he is just ecstatic for his seniors that they once again get the chance to play in the NCAA Tournament and continue the long and proud tradition of Gamecock men's soccer.
"It's great for our seniors," Berson said. "This senior class has really done a wonderful job in terms of our leadership. They brought us (into) the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year, and I think it was really important that we were back in the tournament this year to establish that continuity and to establish that growth. I'm pleased for them, but they probably as well as anyone know that doesn't really mean anything at this point. Now it's what we do from here, and I think they'll be the first ones to point that out and that's what we need to get focused in on for Thursday afternoon."
