The Bulls look for their fourth win their last five matches when they face the Ospreys
TAMPA (SEPT. 23, 2019) – USF hits the road for the final time in the month of September when it travels to Jacksonville to face in-state foe North Florida on Sept. 24. First touch at Hodges Stadium is slated for 7 p.m. The Bulls look to get back on the winning track after a tough 2-0 loss to RV/- Ohio State on Sept. 17 in Tampa.
USF BULLS (3-2)
Last Game: Sept. 17 vs. Ohio State, L, 2-0
Next Game: Sept. 27 vs. UConn, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Bob Butehorn
Career Record: 146-115-34 (17th season)
At USF: 16-17-6 (Third season)
NORTH FLORIDA (2-2-1)
Last Game: Sept. 21 vs. Liberty, W, 1-0
Next Game: Sept. 28 vs. Florida Gulf Coast, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Derek Marinatos
Career Record: 47-74-9 (10th season)
At North Florida: Same
QUICK HITS
– A win over North Florida would mark the Bulls’ first 4-2 start since the 2006 season when they also started the season 4-2.
– Tuesday’s match against North Florida is USF’s second of two that it will play on the road during the month of September … They also traveled to Nashville to face Lipscomb on Sept. 13 (W, 3-1).
– USF comes into its match up at North Florida with a 3-0 lead in the all-time series … The Bulls and Ospreys last met on Sept. 20, 2017, in Tampa, with USF coming out on top, 5-1 … It was the first goal that UNF scored in the short three match series.
– Harrison Devenish-Meares has been the mainstay in net for the Bulls playing all 450 minutes and recording 14 saves and has posted a 1.25 goals against average … He logged his fourth career shutout against Louisville on Sept. 9.
– Victor Claudel and Emilio Ycaza share the team lead in scoring with four points apiece, each scoring two goals on the year … Trey Jackson and Jonathan Rosales are tied for third with three points on a goal and an assist, and Josue Monge (1g) and Avionne Flanagan (2a) each have two points.
SCOUTING NORTH FLORIDA
– North Florida comes into Tuesday’s match with USF with a 2-2-1 record after a 1-0 win over Liberty at home on Sept. 21 … The Ospreys have turned in a 1-0-1 record in their last two matches after starting the season 1-2.
– Jake Hawker leads UNF is scoring with four points, coming on two goals … Zane Bubb (1g, 1a) and Torian Went have recorded three and two points, respectively on the year … Robbie Soronellas is the only other point scorer logging one assist.
– Padraic Gilley has turned in a 2-2 record on the year with two shutouts … He has recorded four saves and has a 0.99 goals against average.
THE SERIES VS. THE OSPREYS
– Despite the relatively close proximity of the two schools, USF and North Florida have met just three times before – all in Tampa – with the Bulls holding a 3-0 series lead … The Green and Gold hold a commanding 8-1 goals advantage over UNF.
– The two sides first met on Sept. 14, 2015, with USF winning 2-0, and then again on Sept. 14, 2016 (W, 1-0) and Sept. 20, 2017 (W, 5-1).
LAST TIME OUT
– USF outshot Ohio State, 14-6, which included a slight 5-4 margin on goal, however, the Buckeyes found a way to break through in the second half and defeated the Bulls, 2-0, on Sept. 17 … The Buckeyes scored both of their goals just minutes apart in the 83rd and 89th minutes.
– The Bulls held the upper hand, outshooting the Buckeyes 11-3 in the second half … USF had opportunities in the final 45 minutes of play with Adrian Billhardt being the main aggressor … He finished the night with a match high five shots with four on goal … Emilio Ycaza had three shots on the night, and Trey Jackson and Avionne Flanagan recorded two shots, respectively.
– Harrison Devenish-Meares had two saves for the Bulls.
QUARTET EARNS AAC WEEKLY HONORS
– The USF men’s soccer team had a quartet of standouts earn weekly American Athletic Conference honors for the week ending Sept. 16 … Javain Brown was named Defensive Player of the Week, Harrison Devenish-Meares was named Goalkeeper of the Week and Victor Claudel was tabbed Rookie of the Week. Emilio Ycaza was named to the AAC honor roll … The Bulls, 3-1 on the year, posted a 2-0 record last week with wins over No. 5 Louisville (2-0) and Lipscomb (3-1).
– It’s the second straight week that a USF player was honored … Claudel was named to the honor roll on Sept. 9.
BULLS CLOSE PRESEASON WITH 3-0 EXHIBITION RECORD
– USF closed out its 2019 preseason schedule with a 3-0 record, capped off by a 1-0 win over the University of Tampa in the 41st annual Rowdies Cup at Corbett Stadium on Aug. 24 … Freshman forward Victor Claudel netted the game-winner on a penalty kick in the 85’.
– The Bulls also defeated Eastern Florida State College (2-0) on Aug. 17 and Eckerd College (1-0) on Aug. 21 in their first two exhibition matches.
BILLHARDT & FLANAGAN EARN PRESEASON AAC HONORS
– USF men’s soccer standouts Avionne Flanagan and Adrian Billhardt and have been named to the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Preseason All-Conference Team.
– Flanagan finished 2018 with Second Team All-AAC honors … He played in all 17 matches for the Bulls and started in 16 … He scored two goals on the year off 15 shots … His goal against Florida Atlantic marked his first game-winner and was a crucial turning point for USF, which posted a 3-1-2 record in its next six matches.
– Billhardt earned preseason all-conference honors after recording four points on four assists in 2018 … A great technical player, he is creative and extremely dangerous one-on-one with a big left foot … Billhardt was also recognized during his freshman season, in 2017, when he was named First Team All-AAC and to the All-Rookie Team.
BULLS TABBED FOURTH IN AAC PRESEASON POLL
– USF was voted by the league’s head coaches to finish fourth in this year’s preseason American Athletic Conference Coaches poll … The Bulls trail only UCF, SMU and UConn … Temple, Memphis, Tulsa and Cincinnati round out the bottom four.
UP NEXT
Following Tuesday’s match, USF will return to Corbett Stadium on Sept. 27 for its AAC opener against UConn at 7 p.m. … It will be the first of two straight matches at home for the Bulls, who will also face Florida Gulf Coast on Oct. 1 (7 p.m.), and the first of three during a four match stretch to start October.
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