James Island Cup
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 James Island Cup in Charleston, SC on November 23-24:
November 23-24, 2013
Welcome to the 19th Annual James Island Cup! This tournament is for teams looking for not just another tournament. This tournament is for teams that want to enjoy one of America's favorite cities, Charleston, SC. This tournament tournament is for teams wanting to end their fall season in a memorable way.
Over 200 teams from SC and surrounding states will be participating. And with average temperatures in the mid-60's, this is a tournament you do not want to miss! 
To view more information about the tournament and to register, please visit the tournament website by clicking here. Spaces are limited. Register Now! You can also login from the tournament page using your ID and password.
Your ID is: S269448 and your password is: Don't know your password - Click here  
Contact us at lcsoccerdirector@gmail.com with any questions.

Tournament Director
James Island Cup

Managed by Lowcountry Soccer
6:50 AM

Norcross Nike Cup
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Norcross Nike Cup 2013 Brought to you by Chipotle Mexican Grill


"The reason we take our teams to high level tournaments is to play teams from other states and clubs, find good competition and exposure. We always get that experience when we play at the Norcross Nike Cup in Atlanta."
Brad Wyled, Executive Director of Charlotte Soccer Academy

So far we have 41 different clubs from 8 different states ready to play in the 13th Annual Norcross Nike Cup and the list keeps growing. Don't miss your chance to play in this year's Norcross Nike Cup.

Register your team today to play in the most competitive post-season tournament.
 
6:40 AM

Mercer Men's Soccer Pulls Out 1-0 Win over Georgia Southern

Written by Associated Press 
MACON, Ga. (MERCER RELEASE) – Needing a result in the worst way, the Mercer men's soccer team received a goal from senior Ehjayson Henry in the 87th minute to capture a 1-0 win over in-state rival Georgia Southern to close out the Mercer Tournament on Sunday evening at Bear Field.
Mercer (1-4) has now beaten Georgia Southern (2-3) six-straight times dating back to 2007 and ends a four-match losing streak with the win.
The Bears out-shot the Eagles 23-8 and held a commanding 13-2 advantage in corner kicks in the match.
Neither team was able to seriously threaten on the offensive side of the ball as the game remained tied at 0-0 heading into halftime.
The Bears best chance of the first half came in the 31st minute of play when Henry settled down a cross and was unmarked on the far side of the box, but his shot sailed high over the net to keep things scoreless.
Mercer got the break it needed in the early stages of the second half thanks to a Georgia Southern mistake. Senior Nick Lane came in low and late on a tackle in the 53rd minute and was red carded for the infraction, leaving the Eagles with only 10 men for the remainder of the contest.
The Bears took full advantage of the fact, peppering Georgia Southern goalkeeper Neal Bates with 14 shots in the second half.
Mercer finally found the back of the net in the 87th minute of play when Henry back sealed a defender to steal the ball. The Harris Village, Saint Kitts native then dribbled toward goal and beat Bates with a shot into the upper left 90 of goal to give the home team a 1-0 win.
Bears goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh made four saves on the night to record his 15th career shutout, passing Ron Keller (1981-84) for the most career shutouts in program history.
Mercer returns to action on September 18 when it hosts Gardner Webb. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Bear Field.
Order of Finish in 2013 Mercer Tournament
1. Winthrop (2-0-0)
2. Mercer (1-1)*
3. Georgia Southern (1-1)
4. Stetson (0-2)
*Mercer earns the second-place finish due to its head-to-head win over Georgia Southern

2013 Mercer Tournament All-Tournament Team
(MVP) Magnus Thorsson- Winthrop
Jordi Lluch- Winthrop
Max Hasenstab- Winthrop
Achille Obougou- Winthrop
Brady O'Brien- Mercer
Greg Ranjitsingh- Mercer
Ehjayson Henry- Mercer
Neal Bates- Georgia Southern
Josh Ward- Georgia Southern
Steven Saballos- Stetson
JJ Bostic- Stetson

5:49 AM
by r
It looks like Falcons owner Arthur Blank is close to buying another sports team in Atlanta and (unfortunately for the Braves) it doesn’t look like it will be baseball but… Soccer.
Really? Yes, really.
According to the Doug Robertson and the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Blank is in “significant discussions with Major League Soccer.”
Here is more from the AJC story:
Falcons owner Arthur Blank is in significant discussions with Major League Soccer about bringing an expansion franchise to the city, according to two people with knowledge of the situation but who wished to remain anonymous because the discussions aren’t complete.
Blank has long expressed an interest in a team. The recent approval of the new Falcons’ stadium accelerated the talks between Blank and the league. The construction of the stadium is scheduled to be finished in 2017 and the two parties have discussed opening the stadium with an MLS game featuring the expansion team.
NBC Sports linked to the same article and threw in this little tidbit of their own:
General consensus is that the southeastern United States is set to receive at least one franchise, as it is the only area of the country currently without a team.
At first glance, that makes a whole lot of sense, but then you might get to thinking “well there is probably a reason the southeast has been the last place the MLS has expanded…” and you’d probably be right. The southeast has a huge college football fan base and I wonder if their is enough interest in the area to support a pro soccer team.
Hockey didn’t work out, so why will soccer do any better? We won’t know for sure until it’s given a chance but there are encouraging signs all over the place.
In general, MLS attendance has been growing everywhere in the country and even overtook the NBA in 2011 as the third most popular sport behind the MLB (2) and the NFL (1). I was actually surprised by that when I found out but it’s definitely true because I saw it on the internet, right?
Another reason soccer could be successful in Atlanta is because the media (particularly ESPN) has actually decided that it is worth covering now, which will be sure to help grow interest. In a great story on Awful Announcing, Matt Yoder takes a look at “The Pinnacle of ESPN’s Soccer Revolution” and the implications that it holds for the sport.
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, and it is on the rise in America where baseball and football have always been the top dogs (no Georgia reference intended). The real question however is will people from and around Atlanta choose to support it?
I certainly hope so. As a brand new Tottenham Hotspur fan (as well as covering men’s soccer at UNC) I can tell you that it is a great sport to watch and I would love to have a reason to pull for a Major League Soccer team.
What do you guys think? Can the MLS succeed in Atlanta? Why or why not?
7:06 AM

UGA soccer team notches sixth straight shutout in win over Long Beach State

By FROM STAFF REPORTSSPORTS@ONLINEATHENS.COM – 

Georgia freshman Marion Crowder scored in the 80th minute to lead the Bulldogs soccer team to a 1-0 win over Long Beach State on Friday night at the UGA Soccer Stadium, marking the Bulldogs’ sixth straight win and sixth consecutive shutout.
Georgia improves to 6-1 on the season, good for the best start under head coach Steve Holeman and the best start for the program since the 1999 squad started at 7-0-1. The six-game winning streak is Georgia’s longest since 2007, while the six straight shutouts is the longest such scoreless mark for the Bulldogs since 2009. Georgia moved its shutout streak to 574 minutes and 57 seconds, second-longest in program history behind only the 1999 team that posted eight consecutive shutouts to begin its season. The Bulldogs have not given up a goal since the season opener against Texas.
Less than two minutes in, Georgia senior forward Madeline Barker had a corner kick that set freshman Gabby Seiler up for an open look, but her shot hit the crossbar. Just moments later, senior Nicole Locandro had a shot slide just wide left as the Bulldogs set the tone early.
Freshman Lauren Tanner had a shot blocked inside with 10:20 to play, and seconds later Crowder took a pass inside from Cara Smith and fired it at the bottom right corner past the keeper for the 1-0 lead. Smith and senior defender Nikki Hill — who took a far side throw-in to set up Smith’s serve inside — earned assists on the play. It was the first career point for the redshirt freshman Smith.
The Bulldogs are home again on Sunday to take on the College of Charleston at 2 p.m.
6:48 AM
By Doug Roberson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Falcons owner Arthur Blank is in significant discussions with Major League Soccer about bringing an expansion franchise to the city, according to two people with knowledge of the situation but who wished to remain anonymous because the discussions aren’t complete.
Blank has long expressed an interest in a team. The recent approval of the new Falcons’ stadium accelerated the talks between Blank and the league. The construction of the stadium is scheduled to be finished in 2017 and the two parties have discussed opening the stadium with an MLS game.
The league is targeting adding four expansion franchises between 2015-20, and MLS commissioner Don Garber told TSN on Wednesday that three of the four franchises “are spoken for.”
8:20 AM
NASL THROWBACK THURSDAY
Chiefs Fortunes Intertwined With Atlanta’s Other Sports
By Charles Cuttone



The history and business operations of the Atlanta franchise in the original North American Soccer League were interestingly intertwined with the fortunes of Atlanta’s other professional sports teams, the Braves, the Hawks and, in a surprising way, the Atlanta Flames.

Like many of the franchises entered in both the National Professional Soccer League and the United Soccer Association, the Atlanta Chiefs were under the control of the ownership of the Atlanta Braves, which at the time were headed by a group headed by Bill Bartholomay.

Braves Vice President Dick Cecil became intrigued by US interest in the 1966 World Cup in England, and, looking to add events to the recently-opened Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, the organization invested in a soccer franchise.

From 1967-72, the Chiefs were Atlanta’s most successful sports franchise on the field. The club did not have a losing season in that period, and in 1968, under the guidance of coach and future NASL Commissioner Phil Woosnam, the team won the NASL Championship, the only title won by an Atlanta team until the Braves won the World Series in 1995. Full Story on NASL.com

Every week, Soccer News Net writers will contribute exclusive content for NASL.
8:18 AM
1st Annual Real Squeal Soccer Tournament

Toombs County Soccer Association,
We are pleased to invite you to apply to the:
1st Annual Real Squeal Soccer Tournament
Lyons, Georgia
October 12-13, 2013
Click here to register
Welcome to the 1st Annual Real Squeal Soccer Tournament! This tournament is for teams looking a great weekend filled with some highly competitive matches! To view more information about the tournament and to register, please visit the tournament website by clicking here.


7:49 AM

2013 Rec Rocks Tournament
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United Futbol Academy Rec Rocks
Cumming, Georgia
November 16-17, 2013
Click here to register
Welcome to the United Futbol Academy Rec Rocks! This tournament is for teams looking a great weekend filled with some highly competitive matches! Last year we had over 100 teams compete. The tournament is for recreational teams only. Age groups U8 through U19 are encouraged to apply.

Playing formats include:
* U8 teams play 5v5.
* U10 teams play 6v6.
* U12 teams play 8v8.
* U14 and above teams play 11v11.

This tournament is for true recreational teams (not Allstar teams) and all teams are allowed 3 guest players. All games will be played at The Polo Fields in Cumming, Georgia, and other venues to be announced. We look forward to seeing you on November 16-17, 2013!
5:19 PM

The result wasn’t the same as when they won their first two home games in second half stoppage time, but the New York Cosmos arguably played their best match in a 1-1 draw against the Atlanta Silverbacks Saturday night at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium.
“Every game the team looks better,” Cosmos coach Giovanni Savarese said. “I think today was probably our best game so far. We completely dominated the ball, we created chances, they only had one opportunity, which was the goal. I see the team maturing very much.”
New York (2-1-3), which remains undefeated at home, outshot Atlanta 17-7 and had nine corner kicks to the Silverbacks three, but only Marcos Senna was able to solve Atlanta goalkeeper Joe Nasco, who made eight saves in a spectacular performance.
“He’s a really good goalkeeper, probably the best one we played so far,” Senna said. “He’s very courageous, he come out a lot strong. He kept them in the game.”
Senna, the NASL Player of the Week, put the Cosmos in front on a 44th-minute penalty kick, his second in as many games. The Spanish midfielder put a low shot to Nasco’s right.
Prior to the Senna’s goal, New York defender Carlos Mendes headed the ball off the crossbar. Stefan Dimitrov attempted to corral the rebound, but was taken down by Atlanta’s Pedro Mendes in the box.
After a brief delay, referee Daniel Radford pointed to the spot where Senna clinically finished.
Atlanta (1-1-4) equalized in the 49th minute when an unmarked Shane Moroney headed Pablo Cruz’s free kick to the right of New York goalkeeper Kyle Reynish.
“I feel that we dominated the game from beginning to the end and it’s a shame we couldn’t finish them off when we had them,” Senna said. “They had one shot and it went in. That kind of tells the story.”
The Cosmos had almost a constant barrage of shots in the final 20 minutes, but Nasco stood tall.
In the 76th minute, Hagop Chirishian, who was freed toward goal after the ball deflected off an Atlanta defender, was robbed by Nasco, who came off his line.
A minute later, Nasco dived to his left to parry away a long distance attempt by Hunter Freeman.
“It’s definitely frustrating when you dominate a game like that,” Freeman said. “Maybe with the exception of last week [at Edmonton] and when we played away at Carolina, I think every goalkeeper we played against has played the best game of their life.”
Atlanta was reduced to 10 men in the second minute of second half stoppage time when Pedro Mendes received his second yellow card.
But New York was unable to capitalize with any late-game magic as it had in its first two home games.
“There’s something working, we’re getting there, we’re gaining chances, we’re close to the goalkeeper,” Savarese said. “The goalkeeper today had a great game. Now we need to work a little more on putting the ball into the net because we created so many opportunities today and we could have definitely won the game.”
Savarese was forced to use his first substitution before the half-hour mark when Italian striker Alessandro Noselli pulled a muscle in his right leg. He was replaced by Kashiwase, a Japanese forward on loan from Shimizu S-Pulse, in the 21st minute.
“We have depth,” Savarese said. “We have used many players and everybody that steps on the field does a great job.”
Atlanta, which is tied with FC Edmonton with seven points from six matches, extended its winless streak to five matches. The Silverbacks returns to Atlanta Silverbacks Park to face the San Antonio Scorpions next Saturday, while the Cosmos, who are in fourth place with nine points, one behind Tampa Bay, Carolina and Fort Lauderdale, host Minnesota United.
“The team is growing and today showed a lot of composure, a lot of maturity and we played very, very well,” Savarese said.
10:11 AM


On Monday October 15th, 2012 the North Atlanta Soccer Association 
will hold it's annual GOLF & TENNIS tournament at the
Pine Tree Golf & Country Club with all proceeds benefiting the club.
 Golf
Format: four man scramble format, shotgun start
  • Cost: $125 per player
  • Includes: Greens fees, cart, range balls, “welcome” prizes, lunch, Hole In One contest, longest drive, closest to the pin, putting contest prizes along with prizes to the winning teams.  
  • The golf tournament will start at 10:00 am with check in beginning at 8:30 am.  
Tennis
 Format: Doubles team
  • Cost: $75 per player or $150 per team
  • Includes: Court cost, a lunch and prizes.  
  • The tennis tournament will start at 11:00 am with check in beginning at 10:15 am.
 Registration
To REGISTER please go to: http://nasa.dojiggy.com/
 For GOLF or TENNIS registration, click on the “Register” tab in the upper menu bar.
For TENNIS registration, look in the “Select Optional Event Items” section on the registration page 


For additional information concerning the event please contact either Dean Harris dean.harris@nasa-ga.org or send email to director@atlgolftournaments.com care of Garry Biccum.
10:20 AM
Georgia soccer coach Steve Holeman goes for 200th career win Friday


Sammy O'Brien | 0 comments
Georgia soccer head coach Steve Holeman needs only one more victory to reach 200 wins in his career. Holeman, who has a career record of 199-149-39 in 19 seasons, has the opportunity to do so at home this Friday against Jacksonville University.
“It would be special because that’s our next game,” said Holeman. “If our next game was on the road, then I’d want that next game to be a win because it’s another win for the team.”
Holeman’s milestone started way back at Auburn in 1993. His first career coaching job ended in a winning season (7-6-3), and the success didn’t stop there.
Starting in 1995, Holeman spent the next 15 years of his coaching career at Ole Miss, continuing his win steak. In his last five seasons with the Rebels, Holeman went 19-1-5 in the SEC West conference. He ended his tenure at Ole Miss with a final record of 116-89-14.
Over Holeman’s 116 wins at Ole Miss, a few stand out.
“There are certainly a handful of them,” said Holeman. “Going back to my days at Ole Miss, we knocked off the University of Florida a couple times, we beat Texas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. At Ole Miss we won some SEC West titles. I don’t know if there’s one in particular. I’m fortunate enough to have a handful of wins that standout.”
At Ole Miss, Holeman carried his team to the NCAA Tournament four times. The Rebels also won three SEC West Division Titles, as well as an appearance in the 1999 SEC Final. Holeman has now reached the SEC Tournament 14 straight seasons dating back to Ole Miss, and continuing the steak into this season at Georgia.
Holeman began his Georgia career in 2010 with a 165-124-31 from his time at Aburn and Ole Miss. In his first season in Athens he posted a 11-6-4 record.
Before the start of the 2012 season, Holeman placed 47th on the all time Division 1 head coaching victories with a minimum of five years experience. Now, Holeman humbly awaits the big 200.
“To be honest, I don’t even think about it,” Holeman said. “I didn’t even realize it until someone brought it up during preseason. That’s certainly not my focus. We just want to win games. It’s all about the team and the University of Georgia. So, that’s fantastic, it shows longevity, I’m fortunate enough to be coaching long enough to get to that milestone. I’m happy to be coaching at Georgia.”
Holeman had the potential to reach his milestone last year, however the season was marred by injuries. The team only managed to accumulate seven wins all year. However, this year is different. The Bulldogs already maintain a 3-1 record, and Holeman remains one win shy of 200.
“I think it’ll be huge for him,” said senior forward Madeline Barker. “It’s been a long time coming. We thought we were going to get it last season and we didn’t. I think it’ll mean a lot to him especially with this group. We have a special team and I’m excited for him. It’s a career milestone and hopefully we’ll get it on Friday for him.”
Even though Holeman remains humble, his team and fans can’t contain their excitement. Holeman and the Bulldogs will attempt to reach the milestone against Jacksonville Friday night at 7 p.m. in Athens.
10:12 AM
Dinomites - ages 3,4,5 - Practices and Games
Saturday - 12pm to 1pm 
Starts September 7th
  • Coach led practice for our 1st time players
  • Introduction to technical coaching
  • Movement and coordination skills
  • Age approriate rules understanding
  • All activities led by our licensed coaching staff
  • Includes Xara Dinomites Uniforms & Soccer Ball
U8 Champions League -boys & girls 
ages 6,7,8 
Saturday - 12pm to 1pm
Starts September 7th
  • Saturday Games plus 1 hour midweek practice
  • Led by a trained volunteer coach
  • 6v6 games on the W2W turf fields
  • Xara Champions League uniforms
  • Practice options - Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
  • 5pm to 6pm
  • Includes Xara Champions League Jersey
  • Soccer, shoes, shorts, socks & shin-guards required
  • Full equipment package available for purchase at W2W.
U12 Champions League - ages 9, 10, 11, 12
Saturday - 1:30pm to 2:30pm
Starts September 7th ends November 9th
  • Saturday Games plus 1 hour midweek practice
  • Led by a trained volunteer coach
  • 6v6 games on the W2W turf fields
  • Xara Champions League uniforms
  • Practice options - Tuesday & Thursday
  • 6pm to 7pm
  • Soccer, shoes, shorts, socks & shin-guards required
  • Full equipment package available for purchase at W2W.
High School Development League - Ages 13+
Saturday -3:00-4:00pm
Starts September 7th ends November 9th
  • Saturday Games plus 1 hour midweek practice
  • Led by a trained volunteer coach
  • 8 games on the W2W lower grass field
  • Xara Champions League uniforms
  • Practice options - Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
  • 5pm to 6pm
  • Soccer, shoes, shorts, socks & shin-guards required
  • Full equipment package available for purchase at W2W.
Program Fees & Registration
 
Fall Youth Rec Leagues - $130 per player

9:20 AM
Soccer Bowl Tickets on sale
Soccer fans planning to visit Atlanta to experience NASL Soccer Bowl 2013 on November 9 can now buy tickets for a designated traveling fans section, benefit from a discounted hotel rate and be part of a special fan event.

Visiting fans will have access to a designated area at Atlanta Silverbacks Park and the NASL will hold additional seats for fans of the Fall Season champion whose team will line up against the Spring Season title winners the Atlanta Silverbacks.

Fans should purchase General Admission tickets by calling 404-969-4900 or booking online at www.atlantasilverbacksfc.com and will have a section reserved for them on game day. The league has arranged a special room rate of $99 per night at the Holiday Inn (4386 Chamblee Dunwoody Road), available by calling 770-457-6363 and using the promotional code 'NASL'. 
8:25 AM

Wings of Freedom Classic
Click on the banner to visit the site

Wings of Freedom ClassicEnterprise Alabama
November 9th - 10th
Welcome to the Wings of Freedom Classic! This tournament is for teams looking a great weekend filled with some highly competitive matches! To view more information about the tournament and to register, please visit the tournament website by clicking here.
Don't miss this Tournament  . . . apply now if you haven't already done so!
You can also login from the tournament page using your ID and password. 
6:46 AM
To view this message in a browser, please click here.
To Georgia Soccer Coaches and Parents,

Want to know how to improve your team’s scoring?
Want to get many new ideas on how to run your team practices?
Want a manual full of practice plans that are appropriate for your team?
Want more tips on how to communicate effectively with your players?

Learn about coaching by attending one of our coaching courses this winter!

Georgia Soccer conducts many courses for all levels of play, from U-4 recreational to U-19 Elite players and everything in between. It is also mandatory to have a coaching license to coach youth soccer in Georgia. Courses are offered throughout the state during the months of July and August. Your club might be hosting some of them.
As a service to Georgia Soccer memebers, the G, F, and Recreational E courses are FREE to all Georgia Soccer members. It has never been a better time to get your youth soccer coaching career started!
Starting in summer 2013, there are two ways a candidate can take the ‘G’ course:
1.     The ‘G’ course can be taken in the traditional way by attending the 4 hour course (the traditional ‘G’ course starts with a two hour classroom theory session and followed by a two hour field session).
2.    Or, candidates can do the theory portion of the course online and complete the course by attending the 2 hour field session portion of a traditional ‘G’ course.
Please go to our web site at www.georgiasoccer.org and click on 'COACHES' to learn about the coaching school and click on the complete course schedule link and register online.
1:22 PM
Rovers O40 results @ Beer City Cup
(Asheville, NC)


Game 1:  4-2 vs Carolina Colortones
Game 2:  9-1 vs Watershed Old Boyz
Game 3:  7-1 vs Madra Rua Irish Pub
Semis: 5-0 vs Carolina Colortones
Final: 3-2 extra time vs Lumark SC

7:26 AM

Tyler Serritt | 
The Georgia Bulldogs (2-1) took down the Mercer Bears (1-1-1) 3-0 Friday in front of a crowd of over 1,700 in their first home game of the 2013 season. 
UGA wasted no time in this game, peppering the Bears with an early offensive onslaught that included a few different breakaways that resulted in nine first half shots that challenged the Mercer defense. 
Georgia finally capitalized on a chance when true freshman forward Marion Crowder used excellent footwork and ball control to lead a breakaway. She pulled up herself 18 yards out and netted the first goal of her UGA career in the 27th minute.
“It’s a feeling you can’t beat; your first collegiate goal as a freshman," Crowder said. "It was a great opportunity. I saw the opportunity and buried it. It’s great to play for such a great team and to score for them is so awesome. I am excited about it.”
Georgia kept its foot on the gas in the second half. Nicole Locandro made the score 2-0l by nailing a penalty kick in the 51st minute after a Georgia player was taken down in the box. 
Rachel Garcia then hit a header, assisted by Madeline Barker, past the goalie in the 69th to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 advantage. 
“I thought it was a great team effort," head coach Steve Holeman said. "We spent a lot of time in their half. We were definitely better at set pieces this game.”
Even with all of the offensive efficiency, most of the praise seemed to be focused on the Georgia back line, which constantly maintained pressure and held the Bears to an three shots the entire game. 
“We defended a lot better," Holeman said. "We really worked on that this week. As we progress the we will face different types of teams that play different different styles. I thought our defensive press, our ability to press the ball was great. Our ability to press in the midfield was good too.”
“Defending as a team and using team pressure, that is what we got better at this game,” Crowder said. 
Georgia hopes to keep applying the pressure as it welcomes Furman to Athens on Sunday at 2 p.m. 
1:02 PM

Mercer Men’s Soccer Opens 2013 Season at Clemson


MACON, Georgia (MERCER ATHLETICS) - The Mercer men's soccer team opens the 2013 season on Friday, Aug. 30 when it travels to the Palmetto State to take on ACC member Clemson at 7 p.m. on Historic Riggs Field.
Mercer is 0-3-2 in season openers under sixth-year head coach Brad Ruzzo, most recently dropping a 2-1 decision at No. 20 UAB to begin the 2012 campaign.
Clemson and Mercer will renew an all-time series on Friday night that has been dormant since 1997 when the Tigers earned a 2-0 home win over the Bears.
Scouting the Opposition
Clemson enters 2013 brimming with confidence after a pair of convincing exhibition match victories over Wofford and No. 13 Coastal Carolina over the past two weeks. The Tigers were picked to finish sixth in the 2013 ACC Preseason Coaches' poll after returning nine starters back from last year's squad. Clemson finished 2012 ranked No. 60 in the RPI while tallying a 6-9-5 overall record and a 3-2-4 ACC mark for its best league finish since 2001.
Last Time Out
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Mercer men's soccer team saw its first live in-game action of the 2013 campaign in a 1-0 exhibition loss to South Carolina on Aug. 18 at Stone Stadium.
Junior Greg Ranjitsingh played all 90 minutes in net for the Bears and made eight saves in the contest.
Sophomore forward Jason Sayers led all Mercer players with three shots, including two on goal, in a losing effort.
Game Notes
- The Mercer men's soccer team was picked to finish third in the 2013 Atlantic Sun Conference Preseason Coaches' poll released by the conference office on August 14. The Bears did lead all A-Sun schools with four Preseason All-Conference members as seniors Joey Heavner, Ryan King and Ehjayson Henry and junior Greg Ranjitsingh were all selected to the squad.
- As 2013 begins, several Bears are at or near the top of the A-Sun Conference Men's Soccer Active Career Leaders List. Heavner leads all active players in the A-Sun with 17 career assists while Ranjitsingh leads all active netminders with 159 career saves and a 0.99 career goals against average.
- In a preseason list compiled by TopDrawerSoccer.com, five Mercer players were ranked among the Top-20 Players to Watch in the Atlantic Sun Conference this upcoming 2013 season. Ranjitsingh (No. 5) was the highest ranked of the bunch followed by Henry (No. 7), junior Ashani Samuels (No. 9), Heavner (No. 10) and King (No. 13).
8:17 AM
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