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| Top Performers |
| Player |
|
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| Drexel - Anthony Bafile |
0
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0
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2
|
0
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| USF - Bernardo Anor |
1
|
0
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3
|
1
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TAMPA - The University of South Florida men's soccer head coach George Kiefer has always preached to his team that "you should never get to high after big wins, and to low after tough losses." With that said, one theory that he has recently started to try to get across to his team is that after those big wins you had better come to play the same type of game that you did the game before.
On Saturday, USF was looking not to fall into the same trap that it did earlier this season after it defeated No. 1 ranked Akron on Aug. 28 in the Bulls' final exhibition game, and then turned around and lost to Florida Gulf Coast the next match in the season opener on Sept. 1.
Well, USF made sure that that trap would not be a factor as the Bulls won their fourth straight match, and recorded their fourth shutout of the season, with a commanding 1-0 victory over previously unbeaten Drexel at the Embassy Suites Kickoff Classic in Fort Myers.
"We are extremely happy with the trip to the Florida Gulf Coast Tournament and to get a shutout today showed that the guys came ready to play and played a very focused match," said Kiefer.
"I think that we controlled most of the game," said Kiefer. I also think that we had the ball most of the second half as well. I think that we had the right mentality early on. We scored one goal that was called back (offsides call) and then got the second goal a few minutes later. We also had several other opportunities in the first 30 minutes. The key was just how we approached the game coming off the big win over Ohio State, and to come out the way we did on the second leg of the tournament was good for us."
The Bulls dominated play in the first half of play, outshooting the Dragons 6-1 in the first 45 minutes of the match.
USF (4-1-1) came out aggressively and got on Drexel both offensively and defensively early on. Shawn Chin, who has scored two goals this season in the first seven minutes of matches against Stony Brook (1:16 into the contest) and No. 9 Ohio State (7:14 into the match) looked to do it again getting a good look, however, putting his shot wide just 1:49 into the game.
USF would seemingly get on the board when Hasani Sinclair found the back of the net, however was called for offsides in the third minute of the contest.
Bernardo Anor would get into the act late into the fourth minute when he also put his shot wide of the net.
The Bulls would then get a golden opportunity to get on the board in the seventh minute when Chin took a corner kick and placed it perfectly into the 18-yard box for Sinclair whose header attempt was blocked. Anor would get the rebound and attempt a header of his own; however his shot went just over the crossbar.
Anor would get another opportunity and took advantage of the chance just over eight minutes later. The Venezuelan native would get a pass from Ben Sweat, who crossed the ball from the left side to the right post and headed into the back of the goal beating Drexel keeper Pentti Pussinen and giving USF a 1-0 lead with 16:26 on the clock. Sinclair would also be credited with an assist on the play.
The Dragons (4-1-1), who were not allowed a chance to breathe in the first half due to the Bulls' stifling defense, got their first shot of the match in the 33rd minute when Brandon Zellor got a look on the net and tried to score, however, the defense stepped up again as the attempt was blocked.
USF would get one last opportunity to increase its lead when Christopher Waugh tried to get in the scoring column in the 41st minute only to have his shot go wide.
The second half would prove to be a defensive standoff as the two teams combined for just four shots in the final 45 minutes of play.
The Bulls' defense would continue to dictate the tempo of the match as the Dragons never posed a serious threat. Of Drexel's shots in the second half, the attempts would go high and wide right, while the third shot was blocked.
On the night, USF would outshoot the Dragon's 7-4.
Despite not recording any saves, All-America goalkeeper Jeff Attinella logged his 21st career shutout with the win.
USF will close out its three-match road stretch on Friday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. when it travels to Storrs, Conn to face Connecticut in both schools' BIG EAST opener. The match with the Huskies will be televised live nationally on ESPNU.
