TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 28, 2022 – A goal with a minute and 39 seconds left in the game was the decider as the University of South Florida women's soccer team dropped a heartbreaker to the Florida Atlantic Owls, 2-1.
 
Chiara Hahn (Lauterbach, Germany) netted the Bulls' goal in the game, while Serita Thurton (Ajax, Ontario, Canada) tallied an assist. Sydney Martinez (Rincon, Ga.) made six saves in net.
 
The Bulls struck quickly, taking the lead in the 15^th minute. Hahn, taking the first shot of the game, took a shot that the Florida Atlantic keeper got hands on, but the momentum of the shot carried the ball into the net to give USF the lead.
 
However, for the third time this season, lightning struck and delayed the game. In the 40^th minute, the game was suspended for two hours to let lightning clear the area. No team found the net in the remaining five minutes of the first half, giving the Bulls a 1-0 lead at the scheduled break.
 
Coming out of the half, Florida Atlantic outshot the Bulls, 4-0, striking the post and forcing Martinez to make saves to preserve the lead. Ultimately, the Owls broke through in the 68^th minute as Mia Sennes pounced on a clearing attempt and sent it into the open net to tie the game at 1-1.
 
The Owls took the lead in the 89^th minute. Bri Austin took a shot that was saved by Martinez, but Gi Krstec found the rebound and slipped it into the net for the win.
 
Notables

• The Bulls have spent seven hours and 18 minutes in lightning delays in three games this season, nearly twice as much as the four hours and 25 minutes that they've spent in game.

 
Up Next
The Bulls play their first match on the road this Thursday, traveling to Gainesville, Fla., to battle Florida at 6 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 ten consecutive seasons of 10-plus wins under head coach Denise Schilte-Brown. The Bulls made their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2010 and returned in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. 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-