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By KY-SHON HEPBURN
Special to GoUSFBulls.com
TAMPA – USF (4-1-3) battled to a 1-1 draw against No. 9/10 Florida (6-1-1) in two overtime periods Sunday night before a women's soccer record crowd of 1,204 at Corbett Stadium.
“I think that this is a young team that is just getting better and better, so yes we played well today but I think that we can complete a game the way we started a game," head coach Denise Schilte-Brown said.
The Bulls took control of the game early with a seventh minute goal from senior forward Sharla Passariello off an assist from Sarah Miller.
Miller played a perfect ball across the box to a streaking Passariello who tapped it in for her third goal of the season.
“I think we played hard as a team and I'm proud,” Miller said.
Despite being outshot 6-1 in the first half the Bulls took a 1-0 advantage into the half and nearly took a two-goal lead in the 58th minute.
After a fortunate deflection Passariello was one-on-one with Taylor Burke but the junior goalkeeper made a great save to keep the deficit at one.
Gators' midfielder Havana Solaun knotted the game at one when she found the back of the net for her fourth goal of the season on a cross from Claire Falknor.
The game went into overtime after regulation ended with the score even at one. Both teams traded chances in the two overtime periods but neither was able to net the game-winner.
Christiane Endler had another stellar game in goal for the Bulls, finishing with nine saves.
"I guess I expect it now. She's such a great goalkeeper I don't get nervous when the ball comes around,” Schilte-Brown said. “They have to create one heck of an opportunity to score against us, nothing easy is going to go in the goal.”
“I felt good today and it was a good game for me, but we have to keep working,” Endler said.
The Bulls return to action Friday, Sept. 20 when South Alabama comes to Tampa. The game is set for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Corbett Stadium.
“We fought until the end,” Endler said. “It was a good game and a really good tie for us.”
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