Alabama Soccer Welcomes No. 4 South Carolina To Town

Update: At the original time of publication the Crimson Tide was ranked No. 18 and Gamecocks ranked No. 4. The newest polls have moved Alabama to No. 11 and South Carolina to No. 5

Thursday, the Alabama Crimson Tide will play host to the South Carolina Gamecocks in a clash of ranked conference foes, to open up SEC play on the pitch.

Alabama soccer returned home last Sunday after a trek out west, picking up a 3-0 win over in-state foe North Alabama on a gloomy night in the Druid City.

The Tide is off to an impressive 6-1-1 start to the season under coach Wes Hart, earning a No. 18 ranking spot in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll and the attention of many across campus.

This week, the team will face its toughest challenge yet, playing a dangerous South Carolina team at home and under the lights.

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Alabama already has a win over then No. 6 BYU on the road, in addition to a thumping of then No. 18 Clemson at home.

The Tide's lone loss came by a score of 1-0 on the opening weekend trip to South Florida, where the Miami Hurricanes upended Alabama. However, things have only looked up from that mid-August day for Hart's squad.

With the potential to leapfrog into the Top 10 with a win this week, fans are expected to pack out the soccer complex and give the team the support it needs for the match against the Gamecocks.

Following Sunday's win, coach Hart felt confident when speaking with the media.

"We are scoring goals in a variety of ways. I was very happy to get the shutout tonight, and a lot of players were able to contribute on both sides of the ball. I feel we are in a very good place heading into SEC play," said Hart.

Admission for Thursday's match is free and on a first-come, first-serve basis, so make sure to arrive early.