COLUMBIA, S.C. — Whew. If you missed this one, you missed a classic. The No. 10 South Carolina women’s soccer squad threw down with No. 7 Arkansas in a Top-10 SEC brawl, and when the dust finally settled under the Stone Stadium lights, it was a 2-2 tie—but man, it didn’t feel boring for a second. The Gamecocks (9-1-3, 3-0-2 SEC) are STILL unbeaten in conference play, and you can thank senior Gracie Falla for pulling off a late equalizer that nearly blew the roof off.
Seriously, this match had everything—bangers off corners, clutch saves, nerves jangling all over the place, and a finish that had fans outta their seats.
Gamecocks Come Out Swinging
Right out of the gate, Carolina looked hungry. Ten minutes in, Cuyler Zulauf whips in a corner, and up pops Taylor Bloom—who, by the way, is a DEFENDER—smashing in a header for her third goal this season. Not exactly what you expect from the back line, but hey, who’s complaining? Zulauf grabs her second assist, too. Good vibes all around.
Then, boom—Arkansas answers almost immediately. Bella Field picks her spot from the edge of the box, fires low, and sneaks one past keeper Tina Tsaousis. Suddenly, it’s 1-1, and everyone’s thinking, “Okay, this one’s gonna be spicy.”
First half after that? Bit of a chess match. Arkansas peppered the goal a bit more (outshot the Gamecocks on target, 4-1), but nobody else could break through. Halftime, dead even.
Razorbacks Flip the Script
Second half starts, and Arkansas comes out like they’ve got a rocket up… well, you know. They force a turnover, pounce on a defensive slip, and bam—2-1 Razorbacks in the 57th minute. Crowd goes quiet. Gamecocks look rattled for a sec.
But this is Shelley Smith’s crew, and folding just isn’t in their DNA. She’s waving her arms, shouting, pushing everyone forward. Slowly, Carolina starts to crank up the heat.
Falla to the Rescue
And then, with ten minutes left and the pressure at DEFCON 1, here it comes. Katie Shea Collins swings in a cross, Kylie Cino dials up a silky little layoff, and Gracie Falla just buries it—bottom right corner, ice cold. Her first goal of the season, and first since 2023. The crowd straight-up loses it.
Falla’s grinning after: “It feels incredible. We’ve been grinding to keep that SEC streak going, and to do it at home… yeah, that’s special.” Couldn’t have said it better.
By the Numbers
- Carolina is now 9-0-1 when scoring first. Yeah, you read that right.
- Tsaousis had four saves, tying her season best.
- Possession was pretty much even, but Arkansas edged ahead in shots on target.
Next Up
Gamecocks pack their bags for Auburn this Sunday, October 5 (3 p.m. kick). If they pull off another result, that unbeaten SEC record just keeps looking better—and they’ll stay right in that Top 10 conversation.
Want more details? Hit up the SEC sports site for all the standings and schedules.
Bottom line? That South Carolina women’s soccer vs Arkansas 2025 showdown was a gut-check, and the Gamecocks proved they’ve got the backbone to scrap with anyone. If you’re a fan, you’ve gotta feel good about where this team’s headed.
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