HomeUSC AikenInside Athletics Facilities Multimedia Tradition/Spirit Links Summer Camps
Baseball Basketball Golf
Home Roster Schedule/Results Statistics Enhanced Statistics 2011 Team Picture 2011 Media Guide Summer Camp Weekly Release Quick Facts Photo Gallery Coaches Past Media Guides Record Book All-Time Opponents News Archive Statistics Archive PBC Men's Soccer
Tennis

Basketball Cross Country Soccer Softball Tennis Volleyball

Photos

June 16, 2009

Ofoje Releases Tough 2009 USC Aiken Men’s Soccer Slate

AIKEN, S.C. – Entering his 13th year at the helm, University of South Carolina Aiken head men’s soccer coach Ike Ofoje released the 2009 Pacer men’s soccer schedule on Tuesday, June 16.

The 2009 USC Aiken men’s soccer schedule will feature eight home games and a full Peach Belt Conference schedule that includes four PBC teams visiting the friendly confines of the “Pacer Pit.”

"This is by far the toughest schedule we've played since I've been here,” said Ofoje. “Our results in the first half of the season will determine a possible regional and national ranking. This will in turn boost our chances of competing for the PBC title. I am excited about the challenge and I know our players are as well.”

The 2009 Pacer campaign commences with two exhibition contests on the road. The Pacers will first take the pitch in 2009 against Southern Polytechnic State at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15 in Marietta, Ga. USC Aiken will then close out its exhibition slate with an away contest against in-state foe USC Salkehatchie at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19 in Allendale, S.C.

USC Aiken’s 2009 regular season opens on Saturday, Aug. 29 against Mount Olive College in Mount Olive, N.C. The Pacers will be looking to extend their two-match winning streak over the Trojans. USC Aiken overall owns an 8-2-1 overall record over the Trojans.

The Pacers open the second month of their 2009 campaign in September by hosting a season-high four consecutive home contests. 

USC Aiken begins its four-match homestand at the “Pacer Pit” by welcoming first-time opponent Lynn to Aiken for a 5 p.m. game on Friday, Sept. 4. 

Lynn, who concluded last season ranked eighth in NCAA Division II, is a national powerhouse and they are coached by John Rootes, who coached Ofoje in college at Southern New Hampshire University. The two led the Penmen to the NCAA Division II National Championship in 1989. 

The contest against the Fighting Knights will give way to a tough stretch that will see the Pacers play five matches in 10 days, beginning with a 7 p.m. match against Conference Carolinas foe Anderson at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9. The Pacers are 4-1 all-time against Anderson.

USC Aiken’s first PBC game of the year will be against North Georgia at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12. The match features the Pacers against a Saints squad that they picked up a 3-1 victory against during the 2008 campaign in Dahlonega, Ga.

The Pacers will close out their season-long four-game homestand against the Catawba Indians at 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 14. The match will be the first ever between the two programs.

Just two days after the tilt with Catawba, USC Aiken hits the road once again for a 4 p.m. game against in-state foe Limestone in Gaffney, S.C. USC Aiken will finish its tough five games in 10 days stretch with a 1 p.m. contest against Mars Hill. The Pacers and Lions will be tangling for the first time since USC Aiken took a 4-3 victory over the Lions to begin the 1999 season on Aug. 28, 1999. 

The match against the Lions began what will be a three-game stretch against South Atlantic Conference teams to end the month of September. The Pacers will play their fifth and final home match of the month by welcoming the Eagles of Carson-Newman to the “Pacer Pit” at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26.

USC Aiken closes out the second month of its season by traveling to Newberry, S.C. to take on Newberry at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Last year, the two battled through regulation before the Pacers could take a thrilling 3-2 double overtime victory over Newberry at the “Pacer Pit” on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008.

USC Aiken begins the month of October by having new Peach Belt Conference member Flagler visit the “Pacer Pit” for the first time. The two are scheduled to face off against one another for the first time at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3.

The Pacers embark on a season-high three-game league road stretch after hosting Flagler. USC Aiken will first travel to Pembroke, N.C. to take on the UNC Pembroke Braves at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7. The Pacers will stay on the road next for a contest against the second of the new PBC institutions in Montevallo in Montevallo, Ala. on Saturday, Oct. 10. The Pacers and Falcons are set to kick things off in their first meeting since 2003 at 4 p.m. 

USC Aiken concludes its three-match road swing with a 7 p.m. contest against Lander on Wednesday, Oct. 14.

The Pacers will finish their 2009 regular season by playing two of their final four games at home, beginning with a 3:30 p.m. tilt against Clayton State on Saturday, Oct. 17.

The Pacers will then travel to Florence, S.C. to take on PBC and in-state foe Francis Marion at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21 before ending its 2009 home slate with a 3:30 p.m. match against league opponent Georgia Southwestern at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24. The match against the Hurricanes will serve as senior day for the Pacers.

USC Aiken’s 2009 regular season concludes with a contest against St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, N.C on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

The Peach Belt Conference Tournament opens on Tuesday, Nov. 3 with the top eight teams playing at the higher seed. The final four will advance to the PBC Tournament Championship to be contested Nov. 6-8 at Blanchard Woods Park in Evans, Ga.