USF Athletics

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 30, 2026 – The University of South Florida women's lacrosse team (12-4) punched its ticket to the American Conference Championship game Thursday afternoon, downing Temple (12-5) 13-7 at FirstBank Stadium behind three-goal performances from both Sofia Chepenik and Elise Grissett and a career-high 11 saves from goalkeeper Natalie Eastwood.
 
With the victory, the Bulls advance to the conference championship game — and in doing so, become the first program in NCAA Division I women's lacrosse history to reach the postseason conference championship game in each of their first two years of existence.
 
USF is already just the second program in D1 history to win a conference regular-season championship within its first two seasons, joining Florida (2011).
 
A tournament title would make South Florida the first program ever to win a postseason conference championship within its first two years.
 
Should the Bulls reach the NCAA Tournament, they would become just the second program to do so in year one or two, once again joining that 2011 Florida squad.
 
How It Happened
South Florida wasted no time seizing control. The Bulls rattled off five unanswered goals in the opening quarter — scored by five different players — to take a commanding lead before Temple could find its footing.
 
Ava Uphues opened the scoring with a goal off a Maggie Newton assist at 8:09, and the floodgates followed quickly. Kali Cleary, Jena Binkis, Julia Huxtable, and Sofia Chepenik each found the back of the net to cap the first-quarter run at 5-0. USF's first eight goals of the game came from eight different players, a testament to the depth and balance that has defined this program all season.
 
Temple broke through early in the second, but USF responded with purpose. Elise Grissett and Kaitlyn Tartaglione extended the lead before Newton converted a man-up opportunity — assisted by Kalina Johnson — to push the Bulls' advantage to 8-2 at halftime, with all eight goals coming from eight different Bulls.
 
South Florida continued to apply pressure in the third quarter, with Grissett netting two more goals and Uphues adding her second of the afternoon to stretch the lead to 11-3.
 
The Bulls held Temple to just three goals through the first three quarters, limiting the Owls' offense while converting on the other end with efficiency.
 
The Owls mounted a minor fourth-quarter charge, scoring four goals — including a pair of man-up conversions — to cut the deficit to 12-7. But a gutsy man-down goal from Chepenik, assisted by Grissett, with 7:19 remaining, effectively sealed the win at 13-7.
 
Game Totals
South Florida outshot Temple 39-21 and held a 27-11 edge in shots on goal.

The Bulls also controlled the draw circle 13-9 and were nearly perfect in the clearing game, converting 18 of 19 clear attempts on the afternoon.
 
Natalie Eastwood made 11 saves in net for USF, tying her career high, to earn the win.
 
Note-A-Bulls

• With the Bulls advancing to the conference championship game, they become the first program in NCAA Division I women's lacrosse history to reach the postseason conference championship game in each of their first two years of existence.
• Sofia Chepenik finished with three goals and an assist, including a man-up goal and a momentum-sealing man-down goal in the fourth quarter. She totaled four points on 12 shots.
• Elise Grissett also recorded three goals and an assist, with her third goal coming on an unassisted score at 6:01 of the third to push the lead to double digits.
• Maggie Newton was a force all afternoon, finishing with a goal and three assists for four points while also winning four draw controls and pulling down four ground balls.
• Ava Uphues posted two goals and an assist, providing a consistent presence on the offensive end throughout.
• USF's first eight goals came from eight different scorers, with Uphues, Cleary, Binkis, Huxtable, Chepenik, Grissett, Tartaglione, and Newton each finding the net in the first half.
• Goalkeeper Natalie Eastwood made 11 saves — tying her career high — on 18 shots faced in 60 minutes to earn the win.
• The Bulls converted 18 of 19 clear attempts, a near-flawless performance in the clearing game.
• USF went two-for-two on man-up opportunities while also converting a man-down goal in the fourth quarter.
• The Bulls held Temple to just three goals through the first three quarters, limiting the Owls' offense while converting on the other end with efficiency. 

Up Next
South Florida advances to the American Conference Championship game, Saturday at 1:00 p.m. ET vs. the No. 2 seed James Madison, in a rematch of last years championship game.
 
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
Amidst 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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