BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Coming off a win over No. 12 UNCG, defending Big South champ Campbell (4-2-2) opens league play Sunday in a 6:00 p.m. kickoff at USC Upstate (2-4-1) on ESPN+. The Camels are 1-1-1 in their last three outings, while Upstate enters on a two-match win streak.
LAST TIME OUT: Campbell -
Kemy Amiche scored off
Tyler Young's assist in the 23rd minute and
Edu Rodriguez made six saves in his first start in goal this season to lead the Camels over 12th-ranked UNCG 1-0 Wednesday in Buies Creek... USC Upstate - Brody Williams broke a deadlock in the 74th minute to lead the Spartans to a 2-1 win over visiting College of Charleston Tuesday. Jeremy Montero put Upstate ahead in the 32nd minute.
BIG SOUTH SUCCESS: CU stands 27-1-4 in its last 32 games (regular season and tournament) vs. Big South foes, including a 21-1-2 mark in regular season play over the last three seasons... Campbell has won 5 BSC trophies over the last 4 seasons - 2018 tournament, 2019 regular season and tournament, 2021 regular season and tournament... Campbell posted a 0.49 GAA in its league games in 2021 and outscored its Big South foes 22-4.
UPSTATE PREVIEW: Picked 6th in the Big South preseason poll, Upstate opened 0-4-1 against a grueling non-conference schedule before posting wins over Wofford (4-2) and College of Charleston (2-1). The Spartans dropped road matches at Coastal Carolina (1-4), defending national champ Clemson (0-2), South Carolina (1-2) and 2021 Sun Belt champ Georgia State (0-1). Jeremy Montero leads the team with 2 goals, while Luca Bulfon (1.71 GAA, 1 SHO) has played all 630 minutes in the nets. Upstate stands 5th among Big South schools in scoring (1.14) and defense (1.71).
SERIES HISTORY: Campbell owns an 8-1-2 record all-time vs. the Spartans and is unbeaten (7-0-2) in the series since USC Upstate moved to Division I (and joined the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2007). CU is 3-0-2 vs. Upstate since the Spartans joined the Big South in 2018. Last year,
George Bediko scored the game's only goal and
Edu Rodriguez collected a shutout in the nets as the Camels secured the Big South regular season title with a 1-0 victory at Buies Creek. In the 2020-21 spring season, the teams battled to a 2-2 draw in Spartanburg, then played to a 1-1 deadlock in the Big South semifinals at Buies Creek, before Upstate advanced to the championship match on PKs (4-2).
YOUNG POINTS = CAMPBELL POINTS: Campbell stands 16-0-3 all time in matches when 2021 Big South offensive player of the year (and '22 preseason offensive POTW)
Tyler Young has at least one point, including a 3-0-2 mark this season. In addition to scoring the game-winner vs. UIW, he notched a pair of assists at HBU and set up
Kemy Amiche's winner vs. No. 12 UNCG. Young led the Big South in 2021 with 27 points (9G, 9A) and was an All-South region selection.
KEEP AWAY: Campbell has won the possession battle in seven of its first eight matches. Only No. 12 UNCG has held the ball for a greater percentage of the match than the Camels. CU has taken 60 corner kicks to just 23 for the visitors and out-shot its foes by a 122-61 margin.
BIG SOUTH LEADERS: As a team, the Camels lead the Big South in scoring defense (1.0 goals allowed per game) and are 2nd in scoring (1.63).
Kemy Amiche tops Big South Conference leaders in points (12), is tied for 1st in goals (4) is 2nd in the league lead in assists (4).
Tyler Young is T3rd in points (7), 1st in assists (5).
Jalen James and
Daniel Hernandez are T5th in points (6).
Sean Ellis is 2nd in shutouts (2) and goals-against average (1.14).
NEXT: After Sunday's contest, Campbell hosts Winthrop Oct. 1 in a 3:30 p.m. kickoff at the Eakes Complex.
