IRMO, SC – The Tennessee Ice Vols travel to Irmo, South Carolina, to face the South Carolina Gamecocks in a weekend road series. Tennessee enters the…
IRMO, SC – The Tennessee Ice Vols travel to Irmo, South Carolina, to face the South Carolina Gamecocks in a weekend road series.
Tennessee enters the series after splitting a weekend at home against the Alabama Frozen Tide. The Ice Vols dominated Friday’s matchup, winning 8-4 but fell short on Sunday, losing 5-3.
“I think we got a little complacent and started getting too hungry for points individually instead of focusing on playing the game the right way,” captain Bryce Cooper said. “We got away from some of the things that made us successful early in the season, and Alabama took advantage of that. At the end of the day, I think it was a good wake-up call for us.”
Despite the loss last weekend, Tennessee forwards are still the players to watch on the ice. Mitchell Spranklin recorded an impressive five assists last weekend, with support from scorers Jacob Kulas and Matthew Pavek, using their speed and improved skill to make big moves.
South Carolina enters the matchup with an undefeated record after most recently sweeping Ohio State at home. Following nearly two weeks without competition, the Gamecocks will face the 5-1 Ice Vols.
Last season, Tennessee split its series against South Carolina in Knoxville, winning 3-2 before falling 5-4 in the second game. However, with a new coaching staff and roster, the Ice Vols are focused on looking ahead rather than reflecting on the past, particularly after their first loss of the season.
“I think the boys are staying positive by not dwelling too much on the loss and instead using it as motivation moving forward,” Cooper said. “Obviously, nobody likes losing, especially when it’s your first loss of the season, but I think we all understand that one game doesn’t define us. We still have a lot of confidence in our group, and we’re excited to get back out there this weekend and prove what we’re capable of.”
Following their first loss of the season, the Ice Vols returned to practice this week focused on improving their game.
“This week we’ve really been focusing on the small details of our game,” Cooper said. “Things like making smart decisions with the puck, playing the right way defensively, and making sure we’re doing the little things that lead to success. We know what we’re capable of as a team, so it’s really just about getting back to playing our game.”
Tennessee will face South Carolina on Friday at 8:30 p.m. EDT and Sunday at 11:30 a.m. EDT. Both games can be streamed on the Student Gamecock Television YouTube Channel.