TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 7, 2021 – The University of South Florida women's soccer team battled to a draw in the American Athletic Conference Tournament Championship, with Memphis ultimately capturing the title after winning the penalty-kick shootout 3-0.
 
The Bulls posted their fifth consecutive shutout in the game. Sydney Martinez (Rincon, Ga.) made six saves in her eighth shutout of the season and 23^rd of her career.
 
The game was hotly-contested, with both teams having multiple opportunities to take the game in regulation. After the opening frame, the Bulls had a slight advantage in shot, 5-4, but each keeper made a save to keep the game even.
 
Following the break, both offenses turned up their efforts and nearly capitalized on multiple occasions. Memphis forced Martinez to make multiple diving stops off shots from Tanya Boychuk, while South Florida had back-to-back point-blank shots from the goalmouth that Elizabeth Moberg swatted away.
 
Ultimately, with the game still tied at 0-0 after 90 minutes of action, the game went to overtime. However, once again neither team was able to find the golden goal to clinch the title in either 10-minute frame, sending the match to a penalty-kick shootout.
 
The Bulls fell short in PKs, with Nasello and Rosalia Muino Gonzalez (Coruna, Spain) having their attempts stopped by Moberg and Katie Kitching (Bedale, England) sent her shot over the net while Memphis sunk three consecutive attempts to capture the 2021 American Athletic Conference Tournament title. 
 
Notables

• The Bulls are now 12-2-6 in AAC tournament games, still the best mark in the league.
• This is the fourth time USF has battled to a draw in the AAC tournament finals. The Bulls captured one title on PKs in 2017, but lost the title on penalties in 2014 and 2015.
• Martinez is now only one shutout behind Katarina Elliott (2014-17) for the USF career shutouts record.
• Nasello, Martinez, Muino, and Vivianne Bessette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) were all named to the AAC All-Tournament team. It's Martinez and Nasello's third selection on the team and Muino's second.

 
Up Next
The Bulls learn their NCAA tournament fate tomorrow afternoon, with the NCAA's selection show at 4:30 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 five consecutive seasons with a conference championship, earning the tournament title in 2017, 2019 and 2020 as well as the regular-season title in 2018, 2020 and 2021. 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-