CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina men's soccer team played the University of South Carolina to a 1-all draw Friday night at the CCU Soccer Stadium.
 
With the draw, the Chanticleers picked up a point in Sun Belt Conference action and are now 3-3-5 overall and 0-0-4 in Sun Belt Acton. The Gamecocks are now 5-4-3 overall and 1-1-2 in conference play.
 
Over 900 fans filled CCU Soccer Stadium and watched the two teams battle to halftime without scoring. Each team had a scoring opportunity in the first half but could not find the back of the net.
 
Marcello Jones had an excellent chance to score in the 19th minute for the Chants, but his shot caromed off the crossbar to keep the match scoreless.
 
With six minutes left in first half, USC's Rocky Perez was able to dribble around CCU goalie Joey Batrouni for what looked to be a certain goal, but as he shot the ball defender Alex Kinateder came sliding in from the side and was able to kick the ball towards the sideline before it crossed into the net.
 
The second half was a fast-paced thriller with both teams moving the ball up-and-down the field with plenty of opportunities and several shots on goal.
 
It was the Chants that broke into the scoring column first when Jones was able to find the back of the net off a header in the 56th minute off a double assist from Alvaro Garcia-Pascual and Eythor Kjartansson.
 
That score held up until the 71st minute when the Gamecocks connected on the equalizer off the foot of Peter Clement. Adam Luckhurst and Will Crain teamed up for the double assist to even the score.
 
South Carolina finished the match with 12 shots, three on goal, while the Chants had 10 shots with four on goal. The Gamecocks also had a 3-2 edge in goalie saves for the match.
 
"I was really, really pleased with the effort from this young group tonight," head coach Shaun Docking said. "I thought we got a great goal to go up 1-0, but I'm disappointed we gave up a goal and couldn't hold on to the lead. But give South Carolina credit, they have a very good team, are very well coached, and they came back and responded really well when they went a goal down."
 
"I thought it was a really great game tonight and both teams laid it all out there. It was another great conference game and it was a game where everyone had something to play for," continued Docking. "We're undefeated and I think we're playing the third-hardest schedule in the country at the moment. We just have a young team and they have to find a way to turn these ties into wins."
 
The schedule doesn't get any easier for the Chants, as they travel to Lexington, Ky., to face the No. 3 nationally-ranked Kentucky Wildcats on Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. ET.