No. 18/14 USF Plays for Championship in War on I-4 Friday
TAMPA, Oct. 25, 2018 – USF has a big night of women's soccer planned for Friday night as the Bulls welcome UCF for the War on I-4 and the teams compete for the American Athletic Conference regular season title. The night will also celebrate the Bulls' senior class and alumni.
The Bulls have won six straight matches, and 13straight matches at Corbett Stadium. USF is currently guaranteed at least a share of the conference title, but a win or a draw on Friday night would mean the Bulls clinching the title outright. The teams are also vying for six points in the War on I-4.
USF's current position is where the Knights found themselves at the end of the 2017 season. USF visited Orlando for the regular season finale where the two teams drew, 1-1, meaning UCF clinched the title and hosted the conference tournament. The next week, USF defeated the Knights in penalty kicks in the American Athletic Conference Championship match and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
USF currently leads the nation in scoring offense (3.21) and points per game (9). USF has been ranked in the United Soccer Coaches or Top Drawer Soccer Top 25 for nine straight weeks, and moved up to No. 18/14 in the rankings this week.
UCF (9-5-1, 6-2-0)
The Knights rank three points behind the Bulls in The American standings after losses to ECU and SMU. UCF leads the series against the Bulls, 10-2-3, with two of the draws coming in its last two meetings at the end of the 2017 season.
Last week, UCF produced The American Goalkeeper of the Week for the second time this season after Vera Varis recorded her 20
th career shutout, moving her into sixth on UCF's all-time career leader list. Stefanie Sanders leads the Knights' offense with 12 goals and five assists this season for 29 points.
WAR ON I-4 RIVALRY
The War on I-4 represents a long-standing and passionate rivalry between the fan bases of two of the nation's largest and fastest growing universities. The Orlando and Tampa Bay metropolitan areas, which form the fourth-largest media market in the nation, are connected by 100 miles of Interstate 4 (I-4).
The official recognition of the rivalry and the traditional name, first established by the fans, creates an annual series of scored competitions across multiple sports programs. The War On I-4 rivalry series officially began Sept. 21, 2016 with a competition between the two schools' volleyball programs.
For more information on the War on I-4 Rivalry, visit
https://www.war-on-i4.com.
Notables
- USF is 20-3-3 in American Athletic Conference play at home and 27-3-3 at Corbett Stadium through the last four seasons (2015)
- Evelyne Viens (Canada) ranks in the top 10 nationally in six categories, and leads the country in two of those categories
- No. 1 in goals per game (1.21)
- No. 1 in points per game (2.79)
- No. 1 in points (38)
- No. 2 in total goals (17)
- No. 2 in shots on goal per game (2.79)
- No. 6 in shots per game (5.14)
- Viens is the active career leader in the nation in two categories - goals per game (.87) and points per game (2.08)
- Viens ranks third in goals (45) and in points (108) on the active career leader list
- USF leads the nation in scoring offense (3.21) and points per game (9)
- USF ranks in the top ten nationally in four categories:
- No. 2 in goals (45)
- No. 5 in points (126)
- No. 8 in assists per game (2.57)
- No. 9 in win-loss-tie percentage (.857)
- Andrea Hauksdottir and Nasello are tied for the lead in The American in assists per game (.50)
- Martinez ranks second in The American in goals-against average (.828) and save percentage (.792).
About USF Women's Soccer
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 six consecutive seasons of 10-plus wins and eight in the last nine years under head coach Denise Schilte-Brown. The Bulls made their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2010 and returned in 2014, 2015 and 2017.
-#GoBulls-
