LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. (October 31, 2023) – The University of South Florida began the 2023 American Athletic Conference Championship with a match against FAU on Tuesday at the Premier Soccer Campus in Lakewood Ranch. The Bulls (10-6-2) fell to the Owls (8-6-5) 1-0 in the first round of the AAC Championship.
 
The Bulls came out of the gates applying pressure and put a shot on goal just 53 seconds into the match, but the Owls' keeper made the save.
 
The USF defense held the FAU attack to just one shot on goal for the opening stanza. The Bulls outshot the Owls 9-3. Vivianne Bessette, Gentiana Fetaj, and Madison Schwartzenberger each notched a shot on goal in the first half. Both backlines were strong in the first half as neither side allowed a corner kick.
 
Molly Setsma notched the first goal of the match on an assist from Michelle Horan in the 63rd minute.
 
Fetaj produced a dangerous chance in the 86th minute, but the FAU keeper made a leaping save to keep USF off the board.
 
The Bulls outshot the Owls 17-9, with six shots on goal, but were unable to find the equalizer. South Florida battled the full 90 minutes. USF produced two corners in the second half and limited FAU to just one.
 
Fetaj finished with a match-high two shots on goal.
 
Tonight was likely Head Coach Denise Schilte-Brown's final game as a Bull. USF is currently ranked 63rd, so an at-large bid is unlikely.
 
Notable
· Denise Schilte-Brown finished her career with a record of 278-166-60 with an 184-97-43 mark at South Florida.
· USF is 12-4-6 in AAC Tournament Matches.
· USF fell to 10-8-3 all-time against FAU and dropped the first postseason meeting between the two sides.

About South Florida 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 2023 season marks the 17th and final for head coach Denise Schilte-Brown at the helm of the Bulls. Schilte-Brown guided South Florida to the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament in 2010 and the Bulls have made eight total postseason appearances (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021) in the last 13 years. USF posted five consecutive seasons with a conference championship, winning the regular-season title in 2018, 2020, and 2021, while earning the tournament crown in 2017, 2019, and 2020. USF alum and Olympic Gold Medalist, Evelyne Viens, was selected fifth overall in the NWSL Draft by the Sky Blue FC, now Gotham FC. Viens was one of four Pro Bulls to participate in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
 
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