ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 7, 2021 – The University of South Florida women's soccer team captured a 2-1, double-overtime victory over in-state and conference rival Central Florida in Orlando on Thursday night. The Bulls now have a three-game win streak in War on I-4 contests.
Emilie Lajmiri (Odense, Denmark) scored the game winner with 48 seconds left in the second period of overtime.
Sydny Nasello (Land O' Lakes, Fla.) tallied two assists, while
Lucy Roberts (Cheshire, England) scored her second goal of the season in the win.
Sydney Martinez also made a season-high eight saves in the match.
USF started strong on the attack, taking the lead exactly 23 minutes into the game. Nasello sent a cross to Roberts, who redirected the pass into the net to take the 1-0 lead.
After another weather delay, Central Florida responded in the 36
th minute with a goal from Dayana Martin.
After emerging from the halftime break still tied at 1-1, the Knights offense upped the pressure in the second half. UCF took 13 shots, including four on goal, but Martinez made four saves, including a diving stop in the final seconds of regulation, to push the game to overtime.
Entering the last minute of the game, both teams had opportunities in the overtime periods and each keeper had made one save.
USF staged one last attack, however. A clearance pass sent up the field found Nasello, who sent another perfectly-placed cross into the box.
Serita Thurton (Ajax, Ontario, Canada) headed the ball to Lajmiri, who sent the ball past the UCF keeper with less than 50 seconds on the clock for the 2-1 win.
Notables
- USF has played in six overtime games out of 12 games total this season and has a 4-0-2 record in those games. South Florida's last overtime loss was Sept. 30, 2018, a 1-0 double-OT defeat at Temple. All of USF's conference matches this season have gone to OT.
- South Florida extended its unbeaten streak against league opponents to 15 games.
- Nasello has now recorded 27 career assists, just one behind Siri Nordby (1997-00) for the program record and two behind Memphis' Stasia Mallin (2016-19) for the conference record.
- Sabrina Wagner (New Port Richey, Fla.) tied Jordyn Listro (2013-16) for the program-record in games played at 82.
- The Bulls were out-shot for the first time this season. In total, USF has tallied more shots than its opponents in 10-of-12 games and tied in shot attempts against LSU. Overall, South Florida has posted a plus-132 shot differential and a plus-30 shots on goal differential.
- South Florida has not lost a true road contest since the 2019 NCAA tournament third round against Florida State.
- This is the Bulls' fourth goal this season in the last two minutes of a period, joining the goals listed below:
Time of Goal – Time Left – Goal Scorer – Opponent (Result)
89:13 – 0:47 –
Sydny Nasello – Houston (T, 1-1 2OT)
108:46 – 1:14 –
Madeleine Penman-Derstine – Tulsa (W, 1-0 2OT)
88:06 – 1:54 –
Sydny Nasello – ECU (W, 3-2 OT)
Up Next
USF returns home for a match on Sunday, Oct. 10 against SMU. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.
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 eight consecutive seasons of 10-plus wins and nine in the last 10 years under head coach Denise Schilte-Brown. The Bulls made their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2010 and returned in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. South Florida has won four consecutive conference championships, earning the tournament title in 2017, 2019 and 2020 as well as the regular-season title in 2018 and 2020. The program had its first draft pick and second-highest pick in USF Athletics history with Evelyne Viens being taken with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft by Sky Blue FC, now Gotham FC.
-#GoBulls-
