Soccer Game Preview: James F. Byrnes vs. Gaffney

The James F. Byrnes Rebels will square off against the Gaffney Indians at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Neither team made it on the board the last time they hit the pitch, so they've probably got a bit of extra motivation.

James F. Byrnes came into their game last Thursday off a hard-fought close win, but unfortunately suffered a serious change of fortune. They lost 5-1 to Riverside. James F. Byrnes were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 3-0.

Their goal came courtesy of Julen Bertossi, which was the first he's scored this season.

Meanwhile, Gaffney was not able to break out of their rough patch on Wednesday as the team picked up their 12th straight defeat. While the 1-1 score might suggest a draw, it was Myrtle Beach who was credited with the victory. The Seahawks got it done in the shootout by posting four goals to Gaffney's two. While losing is never fun, Gaffney can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' South Carolina soccer rankings (they are ranked 153rd, while Myrtle Beach are ranked 44th).

Gaffney's loss dropped their record down to 1-12-1. As for James F. Byrnes, they have been struggling recently as they've lost five of their last six games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-6-1 record this season.

James F. Byrnes beat Gaffney 2-0 in their previous matchup back in March. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Rebels since the squad won't have the home-pitch advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.