Weekend Soccer: 100 for Schilte-Brown, Men Control Conference

Women’s Soccer

Head Coach Denise Schilte-Brown won her 100th game last Thursday night with a 2-1 overtime win over East Carolina, thanks to a golden goal by Grace Adams.

The Bulls fell behind in the 22nd minute when ECU forward Marianna Shurina chipped a long ball over keeper Kat Elliott into the top left corner of the net. USF responded six minutes later when Evelyne Viens made a run into the box and sent a ground ball across the face of goal, to be found and slotted home by Andrea Hauksdottir.

Trudi Carter had about as good of a game as possible without picking up an assist or a goal. She terrorized the ECU fullbacks all night long, and she had an incredible shot early in the match that was stopped by a save that really can only be described as world class.

USF and ECU traded offensive possessions for most of the night. ECU would tally 17 shots on the night to USF’s 11, but the Bulls would pull out the overtime win in the 98th minute after a team passing sequence ended with Grace Adams nutmegging the last defender and beating Pirates keeper Caroline Jeffers for the winner.

Unfortunately, the Bulls drew their Senior Day match with Cincinnati in gut-wrenching fashion. Cincinnati took the lead early when a through ball got deflected to the foot of a Bearcat forward in the 18th minute. Evelyne Viens responded in the next minute with a run up the right sideline and sent a brilliant shot from the top of the box into the upper 90.

It was only her first good run of the night. In the 76th minute, she made a run into the box, and blasted the shot home. Viens’s second goal seemed like it would be the game-winner for the Bulls after one of their best performances of the year.

But with 45 seconds remaining, Cincinnati sent in a free kick that bounced around the box for a few seconds before finding the net to level the match 2-2. The team and fans were gutted. A few good chances were seen in the overtime period, but none were finished. Coach Schilte-Brown had to take a few minutes in the middle of the field before talking to the media after the game ended.

To say it was disappointing is a massive understatement. The players who did go over were near tears as they went to shake the hands of the Goalmouths after the game. The Goalmouths were completely subdued as well, as was most of the stadium. It was a poor ending to for the last game that the seniors would get to play in Corbett Soccer Stadium, especially for a game where the Bulls were largely in command.

Thank you to all the seniors. From this senior, thank you for the memories in Corbett through these last four years. It’s been a joy cheering and supporting all of you.

Men’s Soccer

The men’s soccer team picked up three huge points with a 1-0 win over Memphis this past Saturday.

With these three points, and a bit of help in other conference games, the Bulls took sole possession of first place in the conference. Winning the regular season this year is more important than ever, as the winner of the regular season will host the conference tournament for the first time in 2016.

The lone goal came in the sixth minute, as Graham Smith sent a long ball down the field to a streaking Nazeem Bartman, who controlled the ball at the top of the box and slammed it to the far post.

The early goal seemed to rattle the Memphis keeper. He dropped a cross just a few minutes later right in front of Bartman, but was able to regain possession. The Tigers could never seem to get any meaningful possession, but had one notable breakaway that was blocked by Spasoje Stefanovic.

The only other notable event was Memphis assistant coach Tony McManus being sent to the stands. For what, we’re not sure. But he was left/right-ed out of the stadium by the Goalmouths. Later that night, the Memphis coaches and some Goalmouths encountered each other at the Bruce B. Downs World of Beer. The assistant was left/right-ed into World of Beer by one group of Goalmouths, then left/right-ed out of the building by another group of Goalmouths when he left. He responded by putting his sweatshirt hood up and scurrying away. Welcome to Tampa, Coach McManus. You just learned the first rule of playing USF: don’t screw up at Corbett Stadium. #WeAreTheGoalmouths

The men seem to be finding their rhythm at just the right time with two games left in the regular season. They only need one more point to clinch a spot in the conference tournament, and four points to finish top of the table and host it. The Bulls are firmly in control of their own destiny going into their away game at SMU this Saturday, before coming home for senior night against Temple on November 5.