Bulls Drop Road Match at Charlotte

Thursday, October 15

Charlotte, N.C.

7:00 P.M.

University of South Florida

2-8-3, 0-4-2

Charlotte

8-5-1, 4-2-1

Team	1	2	Final F
South Fla.	0	1	1
Charlotte	1	1	2

Match Notes

October 15, 2026 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Ava Plezia scored her first goal of the season

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (October 15, 2026) – South Florida women's soccer (2-8-3, 0-4-2 American) fell 2-1 to the Charlotte 49ers (8-5-1, 4-2-1 American) on Thursday night at Jen Gaber Field. Ava Plezia scored her first goal of the season as the Bulls battled to the final whistle.

Charlotte came out aggressively, taking three shots on goal in the opening minutes. Goalkeeper Gaby Rourke and the South Florida defense worked to withstand the early pressure as the 49ers looked to take control.

The 49ers broke through in the 19^th minute when Evie Craven found the back of the net off an assist from Allie Metcalf to give Charlotte a 1-0 lead.

The Bulls looked to settle into the match and create their own chances, but Charlotte carried its one-goal advantage into halftime.

South Florida kept fighting and created a promising opportunity from a second-half set piece. After a free kick toward the goal, McKenna Battilla headed it toward the net, but Charlotte's goalkeeper saved it.

Charlotte extended its lead in the 69^th minute when Lucie Bertrand scored to make it 2-0.

The Bulls eventually broke through in the 87^th minute when Plezia scored from the low left side to cut the deficit to one and record her first goal of the season. South Florida pushed for an equalizer in the closing minutes, but Charlotte held on to secure the 2-1 victory.

Note-A-Bulls

Gaby Rourke played all 90 minutes in goal for the Bulls and recorded seven saves.
Sophomore Ava Plezia scored her first goal of the season.
McKenna Battilla led the team with four shots
Tonight's match marked the 15^th meeting between South Florida and Charlotte, with the all-time series now even at 6-6-3.

Up Next
South Florida returns to Tampa to host Rice on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. at Corbett Stadium. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.

Follow South Florida Women's Soccer
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Get your tickets today!
Call 1-800-GO-BULLS (1-800-462-8557) or email BullsTickets@usf.edu to claim your season or single-game tickets. You can also download the South Florida Bulls app on the Android or Apple stores to purchase tickets and parking. Visit USFBullsTix.com for more information.

About South Florida Women's Soccer
Chris Brown enters his third season as USF head coach after a record-setting debut in 2024, leading the Bulls to 12 wins and coaching both the American Athletic Conference Midfielder and Goalkeeper of the Year. South Florida produced six all-conference players. He recorded the most wins in a debut season with 12 wins. Brown followed that success by guiding the Bulls to a 9-8-3 overall record and a trip to the American Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinals in 2025, as South Florida earned a first-round tournament victory and secured three selections to the American Athletic Conference Preseason Watch List entering 2026. Brown spent 17 years as associate head coach (2007–2023), helping USF to three American Athletic Conference titles, eight NCAA appearances, and a 10-year streak of 10+ win seasons. He coached USF's first All-American, Evelyne Viens, now a Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist, and has developed multiple American Athletic Conference award winners. Players under his guidance hold most of the program's records.

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