The Bulls face the Huskies for the second time this season at Corbett Stadium.
TAMPA (Nov. 8, 2019) – The University of South Florida men’s soccer team returns to the Corbett Stadium pitch on Saturday at 7 p.m., when it faces UConn in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. The winner of the match between the third-seeded Bulls and the Sixth-seeded Huskies will face No. 2-seeded SMU on Nov. 13 at 4:30 p.m. at the UCF Track and Soccer Stadium in Orlando.
No. 3 SEED USF BULLS | 10-5-1*
Last Game: Nov. 5 at Memphis, W, 3-1
Next Game: Nov. 13, vs. No. 2 seed SMU, 4:30 p.m. (if necessary)
Head Coach: Bob Butehorn
Career Record: 152-118-35 (17th season)
At USF: 22-20-7 (Third season)
* USF records include a 2-1 win over Tulsa that counts towards AAC standings but is not recognized by the NCAA
NO. 6 SEED UCONN | 5-11-1
Last Game: Nov. 5 vs. Tulsa, W, 6-3
Next Game: Nov. 13, vs. No. 2 Seed SMU, 4:30 p.m. (if necessary)
Head Coach: Ray Reid
Career Record: 450-141-78 (31st season)
At UConn: 304-124-7 (23rd season)
SCOUTING UCONN
– UConn comes into its first-round match with USF with a 5-11-1 record, while finishing the 2019 conference schedule with a 2-5 mark … The Huskies have dropped four of their last five matches and six of their last eight, but defeated Tulsa, 6-3, in the regular season finale.
– Jordan Hall leads the Huskies in scoring with 19 points (9g, 1a) while Dayonn Harris is second with 13 points (2g, 9a).
– Gianluca Catalano has been the mainstay in goal for UConn, logging nearly 1,200 minutes and recording 36 saves … He has a 1.58 goals against average and has two shutouts to his credit this season.
THE SERIES VS. THE HUSKIES
– USF comes into its matchup vs. UConn trailing in the all-time series, 4-12-4 … The Bulls are 2-1-1 in the last four matches against the Huskies.
– UConn holds a 30-12 scoring advantage against USF in the all-time series.
– The Bulls defeated the Huskies on Sept. 27 in Tampa, 2-1.
LAST TIME OUT
– Adrian Billhardt scored two goals, and Trey Jackson tallied one goal, as USF handed Memphis a 3-1 loss in the regular season finale for both schools on Nov. 5 in Memphis … The win catapulted the Bulls into the third seed and a position to host a first-round match in the American Athletic Conference Tournament … Billhardt came up big for the Bulls on Tuesday with his third career two-goal match, and his first since 2017.
– Despite the positive outcome for the Bulls, the Tigers outshot USF, 12-9, including a slight 6-5 margin in shots on goal.
– USF goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares recorded five saves on the night in the win.
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 were 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
– The winner of the USF-UConn match will face second-seeded SMU, on Nov. 13 at 4:30 at the UCF Track and Soccer Stadium in The American Tournament semifinals.
– #GoBulls –
