Bulls Host Memphis in Regular Season Finale
Matchup:USF Bulls (6-7-2) vs. Memphis Tigers (7-5-4)
Date:Friday Nov. 2, 2018
Time:12 p.m.
Location:Tampa, Fla. // Corbett Stadium
Watch:YouTube
Live Stats: GoUSFBulls.com
Twitter Updates:@USFMSoc
TAMPA, Fla., Nov 2, 2018 --USF men's soccer returns home to face Memphis in its regular- season finale and to celebrate seniors
Tomasz Skublak and
Raul Guinea on Senior Day.
After a strong showing at Cincinnati last weekend, where the Bulls defeated the Bearcats 6-2, USF is one of four American Athletic Conference teams in contention for the American's top spot. The regular season champion will be determined on Friday night following the conclusion of all AAC games. The top seed will host the conference championship tournament, which USF has already qualified for, and the top two seeds will receive a bye to the semifinals.
Bulls Intend to Tame the Tigers
The Bulls (6-7-2, 3-1-2 AAC) head into the match following their impressive performance at Cincinnati (3-13-1), 1-5 AAC) where five Bulls scored six goals in their highest offensive effort this season. In USF's 6-2 win over the Bearcats, the Bulls hit the ground running, scoring the game's first six goals before the Bearcats netted a pair of consolation goals near the end of the match.
Tomasz Skublak (Ontario, Canada) was the standout performer with his second brace of the season and is now the team's leading goal scorer with eight goals this season.
Junior
Alex Zis (Hamilton, Canada) recorded an assist against the Bearcats and is now the conference's standalone leader in assists on the season. Zis has totaled eight assists in 2018 and leads USF in points with 18. The points earned in Cincinnati were vital for USF, as they clinched the Bulls' spot in the conference's postseason tournament.
Quotable by Bob Butehorn
"The guys are excited to be back at Corbett," head coach
Bob Butehorn said. "We'll be looking to send our seniors off properly."
The Opponent
Memphis comes into the match off the heels of a 1-2 defeat at the hands of co-conference leader, UCF. The Tigers are currently 7-5-4, 2-3-1 AAC, on the season. The Tigers are led by Chris Mikus who has scored four goals in 14 games played. The Tigers have scored 18 goals on the season, which ranks sixth in the AAC. While Memphis' offense is ranked in the middle of the pack, they can be tricky to break down defensively. The Tigers are tied with SMU for most shutouts registered in conference play. Memphis also ranks second in the conference in total saves. The Bulls' weekend opponent also comes into the match in decent form, only tasting defeat three times over its last 10 games.
Senior Day at Corbett Stadium
Tomasz Skublak, a forward from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, has had a stellar senior season at USF and has stepped up as a leader for the Bulls. A transfer from the University of Guelph in Canada, he came to USF in 2017 after scoring 14 goals in 26 games played as an underclassman. Skublak made an immediate impact when he first donned the green and gold, earning two goals and two assists in his junior season. Now the senior striker leads the Bulls in goals with eight this year, tallying 16 points for USF. He also boasts the most game-winning goals this season with four, including two golden goals in double overtime. Skublak is majoring in health science with a concentration in biological science and health management and will graduate in May 2019.
Raul Guinea has been an integral part of USF's roster for the last two years. A senior from San Salvador, El Salvador, his dedication and willingness to work hard has been a difference maker for the Bulls both on and off the field. He is an exemplary teammate and added depth at defender for the Bulls until he recorded his first career Division I minutes against Cincinnati last weekend, a proud moment for the Bull. The transfer from Middle Georgia State University played in 34 games and scored two goals with MGSU. Guinea is majoring in finance and will graduate in August 2019.
Notable
- Last season, USF finished leveled with Memphis 1-1, in a match that went to double-overtime on Oct 21, 2017.
- The last time the Bulls hosted the Tigers, the Bulls came out winners in a 1-0 shutout win on Oct 22, 2016.
- The six goals scored in Cincinnati was a season high for the Bulls.
- The Bulls will be honoring their seniors Raul Guinea and Tomasz Skublak in Senior Day activities immediately before the match at Corbett Stadium.
Watch Live
The match will be live streamed on
YouTube, and live stats will be available on
GoUSFBulls.com. Fans can also follow live updates on
Twitter. The match will also be available on
Bulls Unlimited, the Bulls' home radio station hosted on iHeartRADIO with
Darek Sharp on the call.
Up Next
The AAC championship tournament will be hosted next week on Nov. 8-11, and could take place at USF, UCF, SMU or UConn.
About USF Men's Soccer
The Bulls concluded the 2017 regular season with a 6-6-4 overall record and finished fifth in the American Athletic Conference with a 3-2-2 mark. Head Coach Bob Butehorn leads the Bulls in his second season at the helm in 2018.
Follow the men's soccer team on social media (Twitter| Facebook| Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
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