Tampa, Fla. (September 5, 2024) – The University of South Florida returned to the friendly confines of Corbett Stadium on Thursday for an installment of the War on I-4 against UCF.
Elyse Thornton earned her first career goal as the Bulls (4-1-1) defeated the Knights (2-1-2) 1-0.
With the victory, South Florida improved to 4-4-2 against the Big 12. The Bulls gave the Knights their first loss of the season.
The Knights recorded the first two shots on goal of the match. In the 13th minute, Chloe Netzel ripped a ball to the far post, but
Leire Herraez Gallach made a diving save to keep UCF off the scoreboard.
Two minutes later,
Sadie Sider-Echenberg notched the first shot on goal for USF, but the UCF keeper was there to make the stop.
The match was scoreless at the break. Both teams tallied three shots on goal and both goalkeepers made three saves.
The Bulls came out firing in the second half. Just six minutes into the second stanza, South Florida recorded three consecutive shots in less than a minute, but the UCF keeper stopped all three shots.
South Florida broke through in the 85th minute. After Thornton had a cross sent back out from in front of the goal, she shook off a defender, collected the ball, and then blasted one by the UCF keeper just inside the near post. USF won the match 1-0.
The Bulls produced 15 shots in the second half with eight shots on goal. With the 20 shots tonight, USF has tallied 20 or more shots in four of the last five matches. South Florida earned four corner kicks. Herraez Gallach finished the match with five saves and improved to 4-1-1 on the season. Defensively, the Bulls kept Chloe Netzel, the nation's fourth-leading goal scorer, off the board.
Notable
· USF snapped the two-match losing streak to UCF.
· South Florida improved to 4-4-2 against the Big 12.
·
Elyse Thornton recorded her first career goal with the match-winner.
· The Bulls have recorded 20 or more shots in four of the last five matches.
Next Up
The Bulls open American Athletic Conference play on the road on Thursday, September 12. South Florida and Charlotte are scheduled for a 7 p.m. first touch.
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 –
