USF Athletics

Top-Seeded Bulls Begin AAC Tourney Run Friday at Corbett Stadium

November 01, 2018

EVENT: American Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Championship
LOCATION: Corbett Stadium, Tampa (semifinals, final)
SEMIFINAL MATCHUP: East Carolina (10-5-3, 5-4-0)  at No. 16/11 USF (13-2-0, 8-1-0)

Follow	Watch	Game Notes	Tickets
Live stats   Twitter	American Digital Network,   ESPNU, final (Sunday, 2 p.m.)	PDF	1-800-Go-Bulls  USF ticket office outside Corbett Stadium

By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, NOV. 1, 2018 – League regular season champion USF will shoot for its second ring of the season at a place that's been the home of sweet success for the Bulls.

While the program often marvels at its beauty, Corbett Stadium has been a house of horrors for opponents for more than a year. No. 16/11 USF's title-clinching victory over UCF last Friday marked the Bulls' 14^th consecutive home victory dating back to September 2017.

USF (13-2-0, 8-1-0) is determined to increase that home victory streak to 16 games by the end of this weekend's American Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Championship. Following a first-round bye, the host Bulls will face fourth-seeded East Carolina in Friday's second semifinal that's set for 7 p.m. at Corbett Stadium. Sunday's championship game begins at 2 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ESPNU.

"I love being at Corbett," head coach Denise Schilte-Brown said. "I want to encourage the fans to come out because I think that's the difference. It just makes the victory sweeter. It gives us the energy - the chanting from the stands. We have some really loyal, incredible fans."

USF seeks its second straight AAC tournament championship victory (second overall) after defeating rival UCF in penalty kicks to win it all in Orlando last fall. Conference tournament action has shifted to Tampa this season, where the Bulls have gone 9-0 while outscoring opponents, 35-6, with their nation-leading offense (3.07 goals per game overall).

USF posted its fourth home shutout of the season (sixth overall) with a 1-0 victory over UCF in the thrilling War on I-4 regular season finale last Friday night. Conference player of the year Evelyne Viens' goal in the 82^nd minute helped the Bulls remain one of only eight undefeated Division-I teams at home this regular season.

"The regular season champion, that's the most difficult champion to be because you have to win all those games and it's a long road to get there," Schilte-Brown said. "I'm really proud of the girls, I think they deserve it."

Winning the conference tournament also is no easy task and the Bulls hope to make things difficult for league foes this weekend. USF hasn't lost at Corbett Stadium since a 4-2 setback against then-No. 4 North Carolina on Aug. 27, 2017 and the Bulls credit their supporters for contributing to the program's sustained home success.

"We're really ready to come out here and use our fan base," said senior defender/midfielder Jordan Tuttle (Yardley, Pa.). "Lean on them, lean on our home field advantage and take home this tournament."

Know the Foe
Fourth-seeded East Carolina (10-5-3, 5-4-0) booked its trip to the conference tournament semifinals in thrilling fashion by edging fifth-seeded SMU, 5-3, in penalty kicks Wednesday night at Corbett Stadium.

Sophomore Erin Mikalsen's first career goal in the 73^rd minute tied things up before ECU advanced to the AAC semifinals for the first time since 2014. The Pirates are competing in the conference tournament for the first time since 2015 after posting 10 wins, the program's most victories in a season since 12 in 2014.

USF defeated ECU, 4-0, in the programs' first meeting of the season at Corbett Stadium on Oct. 7. Rebekah Anderson (Valrico, Fla.) started the scoring in the 44^th minute, followed by consecutive goals from Andrea Hauksdottir (Iceland). Evelyn Viens (Canada) capped off the scoring in the 77^th minute while keepers Sydney Martinez and Ricquelle Farquharson combined to make two saves in the shutout victory.

Second-seeded Memphis will take on third-seeded UCF in Friday's first semifinal at 4:30 p.m. The Bulls defeated then-No. 15/18 Memphis, 2-0, in Tennessee on Oct. 14 and captured the AAC regular season title with a 1-0 victory over UCF on Oct. 26.

Bulls Bits

• BULLS COLLECT CONFERENCE AWARDS: Junior forward Evelyne Viens (Canada) heads into the league tournament as The American Player of the Year while junior Andrea Hauksdottir (Iceland) was named the conference's midfielder of the year. USF also earned The American's coaching staff of the year honors after guiding five all-conference selections during the Bulls' first regular season championship run in the AAC. Viens was unanimously picked to the all-conference first team and was joined on the prestigious squad by Hauksdottir. USF's all-conference second team members are redshirt junior defender Kelli Burney (Bealeton, Va.), freshman goalkeeper Sydney Martinez (Rincon, Ga.) and freshman forward Sydny Nasello (Land O' Lakes, Fla.). Learn more HERE.
• RECORD-BREAKING VIENS: Evelyne Viens now owns USF records for single-season goals (18) and career goals (45). The fantastic junior forward leads the nation in goals per game (1.20), points per game (2.73) and total points (41). Viens is only three points away from breaking USF's single-season record.
• NATION-LEADING OFFENSE: USF finished up the regular season leading the nation in total offense with 3.07 goals per game). With 46 goals this season, USF is just four more scores away from the second-highest total in program history. USF has outscored opponents, 46-11, this season and outshot foes, 264-126
• HOME SUCCESS IN AAC AND BEYOND: USF is 21-3-3 in American Athletic Conference play at home and 28-3-3 at Corbett Stadium since 2015.
• RANKINGS UPDATE: USF moved up to No. 16 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll and the Bulls checked in at No. 11 in the Top Drawer Soccer Top 25 this week.

 
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.