By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA – The stadium was packed, alumni filled the berm and the USF men's soccer almost put the icing on the party cake Friday night.
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Several late attempts at the net went wide or were snatched up by the keeper in a 2-1 loss to Saint Louis at USF's new stadium, which held 1,830 to mark the largest crowd ever at the venue.
“We started to push and push and push,” USF head coach George Kiefer said. “I felt like with a couple more minutes we probably would have tied the game and won it in overtime, but unfortunately father time ran out on us.”
No. 12 USF outshot Saint Louis 18-7 overall and 15-1 in the second period, but just missed numerous times at tying the game after Saint Louis' Bryce Kingsley scored the eventual game winner in the 54th minute.
“When you look at the numbers, we certainly had enough chances where I felt like could have gotten three or four goals,” Kiefer said. “I give their keeper credit. He did a good job for them and made some key saves late in the game when we were pushing to tie it.”
Saint Louis took its first lead in the 35th minute and kept it going into halftime when USF honored former players and coaches from the 1960s all the way to the 2000s.
More than 60 alumni made a long line at midfield where former coach Jay Miller gave a moving speech about the passing of R.C. Campagnolo this year. The former USF player (1987-91) led the team in assists in '87 and ended up becoming a three-time conference selection.
“As tragic as it was to lose R.C. Campagnolo I can only celebrate his life. He took it personal to be a USF Bull. He made us all better. He made me a better coach,” said Miller with Campagnolo's family in attendance.
The current USF team came out with extra motivation in the second half and ended up tying the game in the 46th minute when Brenton Griffiths got a nifty assist from Roberto Alterio.
“He's been getting some clean looks and did a good job to finish it,” said Kiefer of Griffiths.
Several opportunities went wide, sometimes by only a foot or two, after the goal as USF fell to 3-2-1. Kiefer still was upbeat afterwards while several alumni were still around to cheer the Bulls as they headed to the locker room.
“Obviously you want win for them, so I apologize we didn't pull that off for them. But it's great to see that many people out here,” Kiefer said.
