South Florida Falls to No. 1 Florida State in Season Opener

Thursday, August 15

Tampa, Fla.

7 p.m.

University of South Florida

0-1-0, 0-0-0

Florida State

1-0-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Florida St.	2	3	5
South Fla.	0	0	0

Photo by: Stephen Galvin / University of South Florida Athletics

South Florida Falls to No. 1 Florida State in Season Opener

August 15, 2024 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Chad Smith

TAMPA, Fla. (August 15, 2024) – The University of South Florida began the Chris Brown era on Thursday as No. 1 Florida State traveled to Tampa. The Seminoles knocked off the Bulls 5-0 in the season opener.

South Florida and Florida State played in front of 1,234 fans, which is the fifth most in program history.

The defending National Champions returned seven starters from last year's squad, including the United Soccer Coaches National Freshman of the Year Jordynn Dudley.

The Seminoles registered the first shot on goal of the match in the seventh minute, but Leire Herraez Gallach was there to make the save.

The Bulls answered with a shot on goal as Serita Thurton put a shot on target, but the Seminole keeper was there for the save.

Mimi Van Zanten put Florida State on the board with a shot from just inside the box that went into the upper 90 in the far post. The Seminoles added another goal off the foot of Jordynn Dudley in the 37th minute. FSU took a 2-0 lead into the break.

Florida State added three goals in the second half. Giana Riley, Marianyela Jimenez, and Taylor Suarez each produced a goal.

Thurton, Gentiana Fetaj, and Sadie Sider-Echenberg each collected a shot on goal for the Bulls. Herraez Gallach made two saves, while Logan McGruder notched four saves, as the two split time in goal for South Florida.

From the Coach – Head Coach Chris Brown
"They are the No. 1 team in the country. I knew we were going to have our hands full. I felt like we created more opportunities and possessed the ball more than last year. We have a short window to regroup for Jacksonville on Sunday."

Notable
· USF's winning streak in home openers was snapped at nine games.

Next Up
The Bulls return to the friendly confines of Corbett Stadium on Sunday, August 18. South Florida is set to host Jacksonville with a 6 p.m. kick

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 2024 season will be the first with Chris Brown at the helm. He spent the last 17 seasons as the associate head coach. Brown helped lead the Bulls to three AAC regular season titles, three AAC Tournament titles, and eight NCAA Tournament appearances – winning a conference title every year from 2017-21 while making five straight NCAA appearances during that period. Brown helped lead the Bulls to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2010, a program-record 16 wins and program-best NCAA Tournament third-round appearance in 2019, both conference regular season and tournament titles in 2020, and a string of 10 straight seasons with 10 or more wins (2012-21). Brown has helped lead the Bulls to every NCAA appearance in program history, including two appearances in the second round, and three AAC Championship Game appearances.

As associate head coach, he mentored the program's first All-American and recent USF Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Evelyne Viens, who went on to earn three total All-America honors and an Olympic gold medal with the Canadian National Team at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. Goalie Sydney Martinez (2020) and forward Sydny Nasello (2020 and 2021) also earned All-America honors and were among the Bulls that have earned a total of eight AAC Offensive Player of the Year, AAC Midfielder of the Year, AAC Defensive Player of the Year or AAC Goalkeeper of the Year honors. Players he has coached hold every program's individual record and most, if not all, of the top 10 marks in every category.

– #GoBulls –