By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, SEPT. 19, 2015 – USF men's soccer continued its perfect run at home with a dramatic 2-1 win over Florida Gulf Coast University on Saturday night.

Nazeem Bartman delivered a penalty kick goal in the 83^rd minute and USF improved to 5-0 at Corbett Stadium this season. The Bulls (5-2-0) have outscored the competition, 10-2, in front of their home fans in 2015.

“It's great to play at Corbett,” head coach George Kiefer said. “It's a great environment and I think they do well here, but I think we're very good on the road, too.”

USF started the week with a 2-0 home win over North Florida and the Bulls continued to play strong defense in their eighth meeting with FGCU (1-2-1). USF allowed four shots in the opening half with junior keeper Spasoje Stefanovic having to make two of his five total saves.

The teams played to a scoreless tie by the break after USF applied the pressure early on. The Bulls posted 11 shots in the opening half (two on goal) and leading the way was Bartman. The junior from Cape Town, South Africa posted five shots (one on goal) while playing a full 45 minutes. Bartman finished with seven shots (two on goal) in another impressive outing.

“Nazeem is really starting to come into his own,” Kiefer said. “You look at the stuff he's creating; he's exactly what we thought he would be. He's one of the best forwards in the country.”

Halftime was extended by a 49-minute lightning delay and the home fans that stuck it out got a treat in the 66^th minute. Bartman found Melvin Becket in the front of the net and the junior forward from Melbourne, Australia put a nifty move on a defender and fired home his first-career goal as a Bull. Before heading to USF, Becket earned NJCAA Second-Team All-America honors after scoring 13 goals for Lewis & Clark Community College in 2014.

“With the guys we have, they can beat you off the dribble. Becket diced them up and blasted it home,” Kiefer said.

FGCU struck back in the 72^nd minute on a penalty kick goal by Albert Ruiz before the in-state rivalry game took another wild turn.

Eleven minutes after Ruiz's goal, USF had a great opportunity in front of the FGCU net when junior midfielder Lindo Mfeka was taken down by an Eagles defender. That set the stage for Bartman, who beat keeper Sawyer Jackman on a penalty kick opportunity for what proved to be the game-winner.

“There was a lot of pressure. Penalties, it's a 50-50, it's either you score or you miss,” Bartman said. “I knew exactly what I wanted to do and I just put it in and got the winning goal. It's an amazing feeling.”

USF finishes up a four-game homestand with the conference opener against UConn on Saturday, Sept. 26. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start at Corbett Stadium and fans purchase tickets HERE.

“The match is so far away. I feel like we're good, but we can get a lot better,” Kiefer said.

USF G A Shots Nazeem Bartman 1 1 7 FGCU G A Shots Albert Ruiz 1 0 2

FGCU Min. GA Saves Sawyer Jackman 90:00 2 5 USF Min. GA Saves Spasoje Stefanovic 90:00 1 5