TAMPA, Fla. (September 20, 2023) – The University of South Florida women's soccer team returns to the friendly confines of Corbett Stadium for the American Athletic Conference home opener on Thursday as Charlotte makes the trek to Tampa. The Bulls enter the contest with a 4-4-0 overall record and a 1-0-0 mark in league play, while the 49ers come in with a 4-3-3 overall mark and are 0-0-1 in conference action.
 
USF is coming off a 2-1 victory at Temple in the conference opener last Thursday. Anna Sutter and Vivianne Bessette both found the back of the net to propel the Bulls over the Owls. Bessette's match-winning goal earned her a spot on The American Honor Roll.
 
Thursday's match will be USF Faculty and Staff Appreciation as Special Olympics Night. The first 250 USF students will receive a voucher for walking tacos. All USF students with a USF ID will be able to purchase popcorn from concessions for $1. Parking is free for all fans in attendance for women's soccer matches.
 
Bulls at a Glance
Sutter leads the team with six goals and 12 points. She is tied for 34th in the NCAA with 0.75 goals per match, which is tied for third in the conference. Her six goals are tied for 38th in the country, while her 12 points are tied for 82nd. Georgia Brown is second on the team with five goals and 10 points. Gentiana Fetaj is currently tied for 13th in the nation with six assists, which is tops in The American. She is tied for 13th in the nation and leads the conference with 0.75 assists per match. Fetaj has added a goal and is third on the squad with eight points. Micahela Hill and Bessette are tied for third on the team with two goals. Peyton Vincze, Amaris Hamilton-Grein, Regan Kelly, Kendall Lincoln, Signe Markvardsen, and Kouri Peace have all added one goal. Bessette, Vincze, Jaide Simone Prejean, and Serita Thurton all have two assists apiece on the season. Hamilton-Grein, Hill, Linnea Nestor, Elyse Thornton, and Olivia Mancini all have one assist. Leire Herraez Gallach has a team-best 16 saves in six matches. Arden La-Rose has appeared in six matches and has eight saves on the year. As a team, USF is 16th in the country with 9.38 shots on goal per match, which is second in The American. With 2.38 assists per match, the Bulls are tied for 34th in the NCAA and have the most in the AAC. South Florida is tied for 32nd in the NCAA with 22 goals, tied for 38th in the country with 63 points, and tied for 40th in the nation with 19 assists.
 
Series History with Charlotte
South Florida and Charlotte are slated to meet for the 11th time on Thursday. The 49ers lead the series 5-4-1. However, the Bulls have won the last three meetings. USF won the last meeting six years ago, 3-2 2OT, on August 18, 2017. The Bulls are 2-3 at home against the 49ers.
 
Scouting the 49ers
Charlotte is led by goalie Emma Wakeman. Wakeman is tied for 12th in the NCAA with five shutouts, which is second in the conference. She has 32 saves on the year and has a 4-3-3 record in net for the 49ers. Payton Patrick leads the squad with three goals, four assists, and 10 points. Macey Bader is second on the team with two goals, two assists, and six points. Kristy Campbell is third on the roster with five points, two goals with one assist. Tash Hudson and Ayanna Parker both have two goals. Julia Patrum and Lily Suyao each have one goal.
 
How to Follow
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: gousfbulls.com
Listen: BullsUnlimited
International Stream: gousfbulls.com
 
American Standings
East
1. East Carolina – 6-2-2, 1-0-0
2. USF – 4-4-0, 1-0-0
3. UAB – 4-3-2, 0-0-1
4. Charlotte – 4-3-3, 0-0-1
5. FAU – 3-4-2, 0-1-0
6. Temple – 2-5-3, 0-1-0
 
West
1. Memphis – 7-1-0, 1-0-0
2. SMU – 5-2-0, 1-0-0
3. UTSA – 5-3-2, 0-0-1
4. Tulsa – 2-7-1, 0-0-1
5. North Texas – 6-2-0, 0-1-0
6. Rice – 2-7-1, 0-1-0

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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