| |
|
|
 |
| Top Performers |
| Player |
|
|
|
|
| Villanova - Kevin Garcia |
0
|
0
|
3
|
2
|
| USF - Andre Mittoo |
0
|
0
|
5
|
2
|
|
|
|
TAMPA - The University of South Florida men's soccer team got back to BIG EAST Conference play tonight as it traveled to Chester, Pa. to face Villanova at PPL Park - home of Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union - and the local faithful were treated to a hard fought match that would end in a 0-0 draw.
The tie brings the Bulls' record to 6-2-3 on the year and 1-1-1 in the BIG EAST, while the Wildcats go to 6-4-1 overall and 2-0-1 in the BIG EAST.
USF goalkeeper Jeff Attinella would help USF to its eighth shutout of the season and its fourth straight. In addition, Attinella posted his 26th career clean sheet and has not been scored on in 410 minutes and 25 seconds. The Safety Harbor, Fla. native would also post four saves on the night.
"I was very pleased with the performance of the guys tonight against Villanova," said USF head coach George Kiefer. "I thought we were very good moving the ball and were very dangerous with the amount of chances we created. I was also very pleased with the way we fought and I think it was a good performance on our end. I think that us creating chances is the key to our game, and once we start tucking away our chances we will be in very good shape."
Both teams had opportunities to score during the first half; however neither could put the ball into the back of the net.
The second half would prove to be much more eventful and saw USF dominate after the break with several opportunities to get on the board despite the match going to overtime.
The Bulls would come out in the second stanza looking to attack when Bernardo Anor placed the ball five yards away from the goal for Andre Mittoo, whose header beat Villanova goalkeeper Chris Bresnahan but the net minder made a stretching save over his head in the 50th minute of play.
The two would try to connect again just three minutes later when Anor sent the ball into the box - this time about 10 yards out - only to have Mittoo head the ball wide right in the 53rd minute.
After both teams exchanged possessions Anor tried to take matters into his own hands stealing the ball from a Villanova player and firing a low liner from the top of the box, about 22 yards out, however Bresnahan would make the save for the Wildcats in the in the 65th minute.
Then, after a Sean Mergenthal shot was blocked by the Bulls stifling defense, Mittoo would get another opportunity for a header, but the attempt was stopped by Bresnahan once again.
The Wildcats would have their best opportunity of the game in the 89th minute when Kevin Garcia made a bid for the game winner with a header from five yards out. USF keeper Jeff Attinella would lounge for a diving save to his right and punch the ball over the end line. Villanova would not get anything from the ensuing corner kick as regulation would run out.
After an uneventful first overtime, the Bulls would get two major opportunities in the second extra session.
The first would come when Aubrey Perry set up a wide open Hasani Sinclair in the 105th minute of play only to put his shot wide. Then, one minute later, Shawn Chin would send a low liner that short hopped and was saved by Bresnahan.
Villanova's Matt Margiotta would get the Wildcats last good look - from eight yards out - at winning the game with a header that was stopped by Attinella with 2:30 left in the contest.
Then, with 46 seconds left in the second overtime, Sinclair would use his athletic ability to beat two Villanova defenders putting his wide-open look wide left from six yards out.
Neither team would be able to get any more opportunities from that point on.
USF will close out its three-match road stretch on Wednesday, Oct. 13 when it faces DePaul in Chicago.
The Bulls will then return home on Oct. 16 when they face West Virginia.
