TAMPA, Fla., March 28, 2026 – The University of South Florida women's lacrosse team delivered another dominant conference performance Saturday afternoon, defeating Old Dominion, 21–3.
South Florida (7–2, 3–0) controlled the game from the opening draw and never looked back, building a 6–0 first-quarter lead behind goals from five different scorers. The Bulls extended their lead in the second quarter, taking a 12–2 advantage into halftime after goals from
Maggie Newton,
Ava Uphues,
Sofia Chepenik,
Kaitlyn Tartaglione, and
Elise Grissett
The Bulls kept the momentum rolling out of the break, outscoring Old Dominion 6–0 in the third quarter to put the game out of reach. Chepenik led the charge with five goals, while Tartaglione, Newton, and
Kali Cleary each added hat tricks in a balanced offensive showing.
Julia Huxtable chipped in two goals, and
Elle Trzaskawka,
Avery Graham,
Ava Uphues, and
Kalina Johnson also found the back of the net.
Newton paced the Bulls offensively with a six-point day on three goals and three assists, while Trzaskawka added three points with a goal and two assists. South Florida also controlled possession throughout the afternoon, winning 16 draw controls, forcing 17 turnovers, and converting 2-of-3 free-position attempts. Defensively,
Natalie Eastwood made four saves in goal to secure the win.
Note-A-Bulls:
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Hat Trick Quartet –
Sofia Chepenik,
Kaitlyn Tartaglione,
Maggie Newton, and
Kali Cleary all recorded hat tricks in Saturday's win.
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Balanced Attack – South Florida had 10 different goal scorers and eight total assists in the 21-goal outing.
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Conference Control – The Bulls improved to 3–0 in conference play with the road victory.
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Big Third Quarter – USF outscored Old Dominion 6–0 in the third to fully take control.
·
Chepenik Delivers –
Sofia Chepenik led all scorers with five goals and added an assist for a six-point performance.
UP NEXT
South Florida returns to action on Monday, March 30, traveling to face No. 25 Richmond at 11 a.m. The matchup will be streamed on ESPN+.
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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#GoBulls –
