USF 2, Rutgers 1 | Box Score (PDF) Updated Season Stats (thru Oct. 27) | Updated BIG EAST Stats (thru Oct. 27) Postgame Interview with USF head coach George Kiefer   1 2 OT F Rutgers 1 0 - 1 USF 1 1 - 2  Top Performers Player G A Shots SOG Rutgers - Brennan McNicoll 1 0 1 1 USF - Andre Mittoo 1 0 5 3  Goalkeepers  Player Minutes GA Saves Rutgers - Adam Klink  90:00 2 6 USF - Jeff Attinella 90:00 1 2

TAMPA - When you play in arguably the best men's soccer conference in America, people in the know tend to tell you that you had better come ready to play every night. It doesn't matter who you are playing or where they are in the league standings. In addition, if you do compete in that type of conference, like the University of South Florida does as a member of the BIG EAST Conference, you had better have some pretty good veteran leadership to help you get you by on those certain nights.

That was the case on Wednesday night as the USF men's soccer team came out in the winning end of a hard fought 2-1 victory against Rutgers (4-10-1, 1-7-0 BIG EAST) in a crucial match for the Bulls (9-3-4, 4-2-2 BIG EAST) as they jockey for position in the BIG EAST Conference standings with the conference tournament just a week away.  

It was very fitting that all the scoring on Wednesday night in USF's win was done by two seniors - Andre Mittoo and Shawn Chin - on a night that USF honored one of its most successful classes in the programs history.

The Scarlet Knights would stun the Bulls by getting on the board first when Brennan McNicoll tallied his first goal of the season on a free kick in the 15th minute of play when he would bend the ball from right to left around the USF defensive wall. The ball would find the only spot open just inside the right goalpost and between USF goalkeeper Jeff Attinella giving Rutgers a 1-0 lead.

That goal would seem to serve as a wakeup call for the Bulls as they picked up their offensive intensity and that senior influence would kick in.   

Senior Andre Mittoo would even things up just over five minutes later as he scored the Bulls' first goal in the 20th minute to tie the game, when he took passes from Marius Krathe and fellow classmate Fernando Gonzalez, and buried a header into the back of the goal.

Although both teams would remain scoreless the final 25 minutes of the first half USF did have its chances to take the lead, however could not find the back of the net.

Just five minutes after Mittoo's goal, Hasani Sinclair would get a good chance with a shot that would be saved by Rutgers keeper Adam Klink.

Then just before the break, in the 41st minute, Javed Mohammed would have his own opportunity to get the Bulls on the board, however Klink would deny the senior from Trinidad.

In the second half USF would continue its attack and had two of its best opportunities of the game in back-to-back fashion.

In the 54th minute Mittoo would take the ball and beat his defender to the left and drive down the middle of the 18-yard box, and find himself one-on-one with Klink. Mittoo would fire a low liner that Klink would kick save at the last second to preserve the lead.

Then just one minute later Ben Sweat would find himself in a similar one-on-one scenario with Klink, streaking down the left side of the 18-yard box. Sweat would put his shot on net only to have the Scarlet Knights net minder reject his chance.

Senior Shawn Chin would finally get the opportunity that the Bulls needed. After getting taken down in the 18-yard box, Chin would get awarded a penalty kick, and calmly stepped up and beat Klink with the game winner in the 76th minute of play. 

Rutgers would make one last bid to even the contest as Ibrahim Kamara sent a header which almost beat Attinella; however the All-America keeper would record his second save of the night to secure the victory for the Bulls.

The Bulls dominated play outshooting the Scarlet Knights 15-7 including an 8-3 shots on goal advantage.

Prior to the match, the men's soccer program honored its six seniors - Bernardo Anor in addition to Attinella, Chin, Gonzalez, Mittoo and Mohammed - who have guided the Bulls to a 52-18-12 overall record, a 23-11-6 slate in BIG EAST play, three NCAA appearances and one BIG EAST Tournament title. In addition, this class of six has boasted a remarkable 35-3-4 home record and entered this season with the nation's longest unbeaten streak, a stretch of 30 games.

The Bulls will close out their regular season slate on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. when it travels to the Big Apple to face St. John's in another critical BIG EAST Conference match. USF, who clinched a BIG EAST Tournament spot, will begin postseason play on Wednesday, Nov. 3. Stay tuned for details as they become available on GoUSFBulls.com.