TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 19, 2021 – The University of South Florida women's soccer team started off its 2021 season with a win, defeating the Florida Gators, 2-1, in front of nearly 2,000 fans. An offensive surge from the Bulls kept Florida in its defending half for nearly 45 percent of the game, launching 20 shots at the Gators goal.
 
Chloe Zamiela (Stuart, Fla.) and Madeleine Penman-Derstine (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) both scored their first goals as Bulls in the win. South Florida (1-0-0, 0-0-0 AAC) had eight players combine for 15 shots on goal during the game.
 
Neither side could find the back of the net in the opening 30 minutes, although the Bulls had a 3-2 advantage in shots on goal while both goalkeepers, Florida's Alexa Goldberg and USF's Sydney Martinez (Rincon, Ga.), made impressive saves.
 
After nearly 10 minutes of consistent offensive pressure, the Bulls opened the scoring in the 40^th minute, with Zamiela slipping a shot past the Florida keeper after a volley of USF shots led to a bouncing ball in front of the net.
 
Florida tied the game quickly after the break. Kit Loferski chipped a shot over the head of Martinez and into the goal, evening the score at 1-1.
 
Less than four minutes later, South Florida retook the lead. Freshman Penman-Derstine blasted a shot that kissed the crossbar and bounced into the net. Sydny Nasello (Land O' Lakes, Fla.) and Paula Leblic (Madrid, Spain) earned the assists on the goal.
 
Notables

• This game marks USF's second win over Florida in the all-time series, and the second in the last three meetings. It is also USF's first home win against the Gators.
• The Bulls took their most shots on goal in a game since Sept. 21, 2018, when they took 18 in an 11-0 win over Florida College in the NAIA. It's the most shots against a NCAA Division I opponent since USF took 17 against Jacksonville University on Sept. 8, 2016.
• The announced crowd of 1,956 was just shy of the program-record for home attendance of 2,011, set against the Gators in 2019.

Up Next
The Bulls are back in action on Sunday as the University of North Florida visits Corbett Stadium for a 6 p.m. kickoff.
 
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-