By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer 

TAMPA – The aggressive Bulls took twice as many shots as No.18/9 South Carolina but they couldn't break through in a 1-0 loss Thursday night in Columbia, S.C.

Daija Griffin gave the Gamecocks the only they needed to hand USF (4-1-2) its first loss of the season despite the Bulls finishing with a 12-6 shot advantage. Demi Stokes and Sharla Passariello combined to produce seven shots while head coach Denise Schilte-Brown was impressed with the Bulls' all-around effort level in their first top-25 test of the week.

“We put together a complete game. We played together tonight, but just couldn't find the back of the net,” Schilte-Brown said. “Our offensive production was great and our defensive effort was very good, minus one mental breakdown.”

Keeper Christiane Endler grabbed two saves as USF looked to extend its shutout streak to four. South Carolina (6-0-1) is in the top 25 of all the major college soccer rankings this week and its No. 9 ranking by Soccer America marks the program's highest national spot since the 2009 season.

The Bulls have another big-time opportunity Sunday at 6 p.m., when they host No. 9 Florida at Corbett Stadium. Purchase tickets HERE.