USF 3, Louisville 0  | Box Score PDF | HTML  Season Stats   1 2 F  USF 1 2 3  Louisville 0 0 0  Top Performers  Player G A Shots SOG USF-Gina Pacheco 1 0 1 1  USF - Taylor Patterson 1 0 3 3  Goalkeepers  Player Minutes GA Saves  UL - Taylor Vancil 110:00 0 8  USF - Gaby Garton 19;13 0 4 USF Women's Soccer Central • Women's Soccer Main Page | Ticket Information | BullsVision • 2009 Interactive Guide | 2009 Weekly Releases • USF Season Statistics | BIG EAST Conference | NCAA

TAMPA- The University of South Florida women's soccer team picked up a crucial win in the Bulls quest to secure a spot in the BIG EAST Tournament as USF started off their season ending four-match road stetch with a 3-0 win at Louisville Friday evening at Cardinal Park.

"I am very proud of the way we came out and responded in the second half," said Bulls head coach Denise Schilte-Brown. "We challenged the team at half time and they came out really took control of the match. "

The two teams remained scoreless until the 37th minute. That is when freshman Taylor Patterson registered her first collegiate goal to give the Bulls a 1-0 lead that they did not relinquish. She scored on a right footed shot from 22 yards out from the right wing beating the Louisville goalie to the opposite post. The goal was unassisted.

Patterson now has seven points on the season.

The score remained scoreless heading into the half.

"Despite being up 1-0, I really wasn't happy with the way we played," said Schilte-Brown. "They control the ball much better than we did and created a lot more scoring opportunities."

The Bulls were outshot 9-2 by the Cards in the first period however the Bulls put two shots on goal to Louisville's one shots on goal.

The Bulls answered Schilte-Brown's challenge in a big way by opening the second half with a pair of goals in the opening four minutes of the half.

Sophomore Gina Pacheco continued to stay hot by taking a cross by fellow sophomore Rehana Murani from 11 yards out and send a blast to extend the Bulls cushion to 2-0. The goal is the second in as many games for the Ottawa native and Murani's second assist of the season.

USF didn't waste much time finishing up their scoring for the evening.

Set up by a Noelle Pineiro corner kick, sophomore Valorie O'Brien corralled a lost ball and a tallied her second goal of the season with a rocket from 8-yards out.

With a 3-0 lead, USF weathered the Cardinal attack to preserve the shutout. Redshirt-freshman reserve goalkeeper Gaby Garton relieved captain Mallori Lofton-Malachi in the 70th minute in net and made four shutout saving stops in the final 19 minutes. Lofton-Malachi successfully stopped two Cardinal attempts in 70:47 in goal for the Bulls.

Garton has not given up a goal in her two reliefs of Lofton-Malachi spanning 64;13 in goal.

With the win, the Bulls have amassed 14 points in BIG EAST Conference play with a 4-2-2 BIG EAST record. They have moved ahead of fifth UConn by two points and four points ahead of sixth placed Pittsburgh.  The four conference wins is the most conference wins since joining the BIG EAST and the Bulls have equaled t the win total of the 2008 season.

Now 7-5-3 on the season, USF makes the short trip to Cincinnati to take on the Bearcats in a Queen City Showdown. Cincinnati is coming off a home 1-0 loss to No. 22 Marquette.