GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's soccer team (1-0-4) heads to Columbia, South Carolina, on Friday evening in search of a marquee win on the national stage against the No. 6 South Carolina Gamecocks (5-0-0) at Eugene Stone III Stadium. Kickoff from Columbia is set for 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+. 

South Carolina is one of 11 teams remaining at the Division I level with five or more wins and no losses, while both sides are two of the 24 DI sides to be unbeaten through at least five games played in the 2026 season. Head Coach Chris Rich and company have drawn the last four games, the most recent result for the Spartans having been a 1-1 draw at Dayton on Sept. 5.
 

Game 6: UNC Greensboro (1-0-4, SoCon) vs. South Carolina (5-0-0, Sun Belt)
Date & Time	Friday, Sept. 11 at 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Location	Columbia, S.C. | Eugene Stone III Stadium
Coverage	Live Stats: Live Stats Broadcast: ESPN+
Social Media	Follow the UNC Greensboro men's soccer team on Instagram (@uncgsoccer), Twitter (@UNCGsoccer), and Facebook (UNCGMensSoccer) to keep track of all the action and updates!

 
SERIES HISTORY VS. SOUTH CAROLINA
Friday marks the fifth meeting all-time between the Spartans and Gamecocks, UNCG seeking for a first win to add to an 0-3-1 ledger so far against South Carolina. 
 
The two sides met in Greensboro last season after a 10-year hiatus, South Carolina emerging with a 2-1 win after the Blue & Gold held a 1-0 lead up the hour mark.
 
SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS
One of 11 teams in DI with at least five wins, sixth-year Head Coach Tony Annan and company have rocketed up to No. 6 in the nation on the back of ranked wins over Clemson (then No. 16), Charlotte (No. 25) and High Point (No. 14). The Gamecocks have outscored opponents 15-4 through five games, limiting the opposition to just 3.0 shots on goal per game.
 
Angel Lopez leads South Carolina with nine points, one of three players to have scored three times along with Loic Sany Kong and Alejandro Velazquez-Lopez. Mika Habel paces the Gamecocks creatively with four assists to go along with two goals, tied with Velazques-Lopez for second on the squad with eight points. Goalkeeper Noah Scheidweiler has played all but 30 minutes, posting a 0.86 GAA with 11 stops. 
 
UNCG AIMING TO SNAP DRAW STREAK
The Spartans are one of four teams at the DI level with four draws, the most of any team. The others are Stony Brook, previous opponent Davidson, and Saint Joseph's.
 
WHO STEPS UP FOR THE SPARTANS?
UNCG has had a Southern Conference (SoCon) Player of the Week in all three weeks so far this season, and Friday night's game is a prime opportunity for someone to make the case for a fourth. Caleb Borneo (Offensive) was the latest winner announced on Sept. 8, giving the Spartans consecutive Offensive Players of the Week after Keaviano Francis. Trym Linberg began the season with a Defensive Player of the Week nod. 
 
Borneo's win came after the redshirt junior midfielder scored a goal against both Davidson and Dayton last week, coming in his first two starts of the season. 

STRONG TEST FOR THE BLUE & GOLD DEFENSE
Through five matches, the Spartans have held opponents to just 23 shots on target, an average of just 4.6 per outing. UNCG carries a goal differential of 8-5, spearheaded by goalkeeper Seth Wilson and a back four of Trym Linberg, Mohammed Sumaila, Mason Dancy, and Bautista Schmidt. 
 
NEW ARRIVALS LEADING THE OFFENSE
UNCG's newcomers have notched 15/24 points for the Spartans to begin the season, topped by Francis (six) and Borneo (four). Francis' three goals stands as the team high. 

LINBERG TAKES THE ASSIST LEAD
Linberg tallied his third assist this season in the 1-1 draw at Dayton last time out, equaling his mark as a freshman after just five games. He overtakes Lasse Dahl (two) for the current team high.
The Norwegian has continued to establish himself after a SoCon All-Freshman campaign in 2025, now just two points away from matching his overall total of five. 

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UP NEXT     
The Spartans return home for the first time since Aug. 28, welcoming the South Florida Bulls to UNCG Soccer Stadium on Tuesday, Sept. 15. Kickoff in Greensboro is set for 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+.