No. 25 USF Hosts FGCU in NCAA First Round
NCAA First Round: No. 25 USF (12-3-2, 7-1-1
) vs. No. 6 SMU (10-6-3, 7-4-1)
Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 11, at 1 p.m.
Location: Tampa, Fla. // Corbett Stadium
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Tickets: First 500 students get in free //
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TAMPA (Nov. 10, 2017) — The University of South Florida women's soccer team will host Florida Gulf Coast University in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 1 p.m.
The Bulls (12-3-2, 7-1-1) earned an automatic bid for the NCAA tournament after winning the American Athletic Conference tournament championship over rival UCF. After 110 minutes of action, the teams entered a shootout and the Bulls won, 5-3. Senior keeper
Kat Elliott (Bradenton, Fla.) earned a save on the Knights' fourth kick, and sophomore
Kelli Burney sunk the final shot for the Bulls, to help the program capture its first-ever American championship.
The Bulls earned their first ranking of the season after the win, checking in at No. 25 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. USF jumped 10 spots in the RPI, now at No. 15.
The Opponent
FGCU is 14-3-1, and recently earned its seventh ASUN Conference women's soccer championship title. The Eagles defeated Lipscomb, 3-2, after battling back from a 2-0 deficit. This will be FGCU's sixth NCAA tournament appearance in seven years. The Eagles ended their regular season with their eighth-straight regular season title.
Notables
- Eleven Bulls have combined for 33 goals this season.
- Evelyne Viens leads with 11 goals. She earned the American tournament most outstanding offensive player award after scoring the game-winner over SMU in the semifinals.
- Viens has scored five game-winners this season.
- USF has outshot opponents, 284-226.
- Elliott is 12-3-2 this season with 74 saves, a .796 save percentage, and four shutouts.
- She earned the American most outstanding defensive player award after her performance in the tournament including her save in the championship shootout.
- This will be the Bulls' fourth trip to the NCAA tournament, all have been under the leadership of head coach Denise Schilte-Brown (2010, 2014, 2015).
- USF's best NCAA finish was the second round in 2010.
- Schilte-Brown has led the Bulls to six straight seasons of 10 or more wins.
Be sure to follow USF women's soccer on social media (Twitter / Instagram/ Facebook) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
The USF women's soccer team has posted five consecutive seasons of 10-plus wins and six in the last seven years under head coach Denise Schilte-Brown. Schilte-Brown reached her 100th win with USF last season, and will begin her eleventh season as head coach in 2017. The Bulls made their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2010 and returned in 2014 & 2015.
-#GoBulls-
