Soccer Game Preview: Mauldin vs. Hillcrest

The Mauldin Mavericks will head out on the road to take on the Hillcrest Rams at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Mauldin's last four contests have been decided by no more than a goal, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.

Mauldin is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of South Carolina's top teams: J.L. Mann, who was ranked fifth at the time (Mauldin was ranked 14th). The Mavericks fell just short of the Patriots by a score of 3-2 on Friday.

Ali Muguerza and Kyle Monte scored both of Mauldin's goals, bringing their combined season tally to 24 goals.

Meanwhile, Hillcrest got the win against Woodmont on Friday by a conclusive 5-1. The victory continues a trend for Hillcrest in their matchups with Woodmont: they've now won seven in a row.

Hillcrest's win bumped their record up to 10-11. As for Mauldin, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 9-7 record this season.

Mauldin beat Hillcrest 2-0 when the teams last played on April 2nd. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Mavericks since the team won't have the home-pitch advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.