TAMPA, Fla., February 15, 2025 – South Florida women's lacrosse jumped out to an early lead but could not hold off a second-half surge from Michigan, falling 16–10 Sunday afternoon at Corbett Stadium.
 
The Bulls (1–1) opened the game with momentum, scoring five of the first six goals to take a 5–1 advantage late in the first quarter. Sofia Chepenik powered the early run with three goals in the opening frame, while Maggie Newton and Elise Grissett also found the net to spark the fast start.
 
South Florida maintained the lead through halftime and entered the break ahead 8–5 after another Chepenik strike and a free-position goal from Ava Uphues.
 
Michigan (2–1) shifted the momentum in the third quarter, using a 5–1 scoring run to erase the deficit and take its first lead. The Wolverines extended the push in the fourth, scoring six of the final seven goals to pull away for the road win.
 
Chepenik led all Bulls scorers with six goals, while Uphues added two and Newton contributed a goal and an assist. 

 
Note-A-Bulls:

• Sofia Chepenik tied her career high with six goals, marking the third six-goal game of her career. 
• Elise Grissett moved to within two points of 150 for her career after scoring once against Michigan. 
• South Florida scored five of the game's first six goals to build an early 5–1 lead in the opening quarter. 

 
UP NEXT
South Florida will travel to Stetson, Wednesday, Feb. 18, for a 3:30 p.m. matchup.
 
TICKETS
Fans can purchase women's lacrosse tickets by calling 1-800-GoBulls or at USFBullsTix.com.
 
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About USF Women's Lacrosse
Entering its second season, the University of South Florida women's lacrosse program builds on a historic inaugural year that quickly established the Bulls as a contender in the American Athletic Conference. South Florida opened its first-ever season on Feb. 7, 2025, with a 19–6 win over Kennesaw State, setting the State of Florida regular-season attendance record as 2,386 fans filled Corbett Stadium. The Bulls went on to finish the 2025 season with a 13–5 record and earned a place in the American Conference Championship in their inaugural season, ultimately finishing as the league's runner-up. South Florida also drew more than 10,000 total fans to Corbett Stadium during the season. USF named Mindy McCord, an eight-time conference coach of the year, as the program's first head coach in May 2022. McCord arrived in Tampa with 240 career wins and a proven record of building successful programs after launching and leading Jacksonville University's women's lacrosse team for its first 13 seasons. During her tenure at JU, she guided the Dolphins to 21 regular-season and conference tournament titles, eight NCAA Tournament appearances, and back-to-back Sweet Sixteen berths while developing 13 All-Americans, 81 all-conference selections, and 13 conference Player of the Year honorees. South Florida plays a fast-paced, high-scoring style influenced by the early 1990s Loyola Marymount men's basketball fast break. That approach ranked among the national leaders in shots, points per game, and scoring margin during McCord's tenure at Jacksonville and continues to shape the Bulls' offensive identity heading into year two.
 
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