USF Athletics Roundup: Veterans Day Edition

By now, you’ve read up on a third consecutive USF football defeat and are awaiting the release of the newest edition of The Bulluminati Podcast.

Here’s everything else you missed from a busy weekend in USF Athletics.

No. 20 Women’s Soccer

For just the third time in program history, the Bulls are headed to the second round of the NCAA Tournament following a dominant 5-1 victory over Albany on Saturday night at Corbett Stadium.

Five different players found the scoresheet including the nations leading goal-scorer, junior striker Evelyne Viens, in the 32nd minute to make it a 2-0 lead at the half.

Senior Jordan Tuttle added her first goal of the season in the 84th minute to complete the blowout as the Bulls held the Great Danes to only two shots on goal.

USF will travel to Tallahassee to take on No. 1 seed FSU in the second round on Saturday at 5 p.m.

Men’s Soccer

Despite jumping out to an early 1-0 lead and controlling the majority of the first half, the Bulls season came to an end on Tuesday in Orlando with a 3-1 loss to Memphis in the quarterfinals of the AAC Tournament.

Junior midfielder Alex Zis found the back of the net in the 31st minute to open the scoring but just five minutes later the fourth-seeded Tigers were awarded a penalty kick and never looked back, scoring three unanswered goals.

After staring the season 0-4, USF battled back to finish 7-8-2 overall and third in the American Athletic Conference standings in Bob Butehorn’s second year at the helm.

Volleyball (19-9, 8-7 AAC)

After holding off ECU in five sets (25-20, 25-18, 19-25, 22-25, 15-11) on Friday night, the Bulls dropped the Senior Day home finale on Sunday to Cincinnati in straight sets (22-25, 12-25, 19-25).

Friday night, USF jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Pirates fought back to force a decisive fifth set. Sophomore Jaeden Brown and redshirt senior Clara Payne combined for 23 kills and eight blocks as the Bulls won their seventh five-set match of the season.

Sunday, the Bulls recognized Payne, Briana Stowell and Maria McLamb on Senior Day but fell in three sets to a tough Bearcats team to finish 9-6 at The Corral in 2018.

USF will finish the regular season on the road, first traveling to Houston on Friday night and then facing SMU on Sunday.

No. 22 Women’s Basketball (2-0)

The best team on campus has returned to action, first curb-stomping Ohio State (again) on opening night and dominating Albany 74-37 in the home opener on Friday night at the Yuengling Center.

The Bulls put together two outstanding defensive performances, holding the Buckeyes to their fewest points total since 2014 and allowing Albany to shoot just 24% for the game.

Usual suspects, Kitija Laksa and Laura Ferreria have provided scoring, while newcomers in freshman Sydni Martinez and Beatriz Jordao have shown early signs of brilliance.

USF continues its three-game homestand on Thursday night against Bethune-Cookman before hosting Oklahoma in a big non-conference tilt on Sunday afternoon.

Men’s Basketball (1-0)

Year 2 of the Brian Gregory era is a go and the Bulls opened up with an 80-63 victory over Alabama A&M on Tuesday night.

Sophomore guards David Collins (17 points) and Justin Brown (16 points) helped pace the Bulls on a night where seven players made their USF debut.

USF will host a tough Austin Peay squad on Monday night at the Yuengling Center.