#20 USF Women’s Soccer Beats ‘Bama 1-0

The undefeated, 20th-ranked USF women’s soccer team beat the Alabama Crimson Tide 1-0 on Friday afternoon in Corbett Stadium after Hurricane Hermine postponed the game a day.

It wasn’t the most exciting game of all time — lots of midfield play and not many great chances on goal. USF (5-0-0) had a few good crosses that found heads, but none would be put on frame.

It took a full 10 minutes for the first shot of the game to be registered. From there, the Bulls would find some decent balls in, but little in the way of finishing. Bama largely controlled play late in the first half as USF struggled to push up the field.

The second half was pretty much more of the same. Neither team looked particularly sharp, but the young Bulls offense wouldn’t be completely denied. In the 78th minute, Trudi Carter settled a crowd cross from Leticia Skeete near the top of the box and laid it off for Andrea Hauksdottir, who fired a rocket into the left corner of the net.

The Tide nearly found an equalizer when a Tide player hit a cross towards goal, and the ball slipped through the gloves of keeper Kat Elliott. The ball would be cleared off the line and the whole play wound up being called back for offside, but it was a nervous moment for the Bulls.

The Bulls had one more chance to put the game away, only to have Bama keeper Kat Stratton make two excellent saves to prevent USF from adding a second.

Alabama continued to probe for the rest of the game, but no other chance came particularly close. The Bulls would lead the shot count 10-8, with both teams putting four on frame. The back line of USF had an excellent game, denying the Tide looks for most of the afternoon. The youth of the Bulls is quickly becoming a nonfactor as the team is settling in quite nicely.

The Bulls and their unblemished record stay at home for a clash on Thursday afternoon with a Jacksonville team that gave up a touchdown to Miami (Flordia)