The Bulls look for their seventh win their last eight matches when they face the Mustangs
TAMPA (OCT. 11, 2019) – USF returns home for the first of two-straight matches at Corbett Stadium, when the Bulls face No. 3/4 SMU for homecoming weekend and Soc-Toberfest. First touch is slated for 8 p.m. The Bulls look for their fourth consecutive win after a 1-0 win against Florida Gulf Coast Oct. 1. USF took on Tulsa for 67 minutes on Oct. 5, however that match was called just prior to being official (70 minutes), due to weather, with the Bulls leading, 2-1. When the match will be replayed is still TBD.
USF BULLS (6-2, 1-0 AAC)
Last Game: Oct. 5 at Tulsa, Ppd. (due to weather)
Next Game: Oct. 15 vs. Jacksonville, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Bob Butehorn
Career Record: 149-115-34 (17th season)
At USF: 19-17-6 (Third season)
No. 3/4 SMU (9-0-1, 1-0-1 AAC)
Last Game: Oct. 6 vs. UCF, T, 3-3 (2ot)
Next Game: Oct. 18 vs. Memphis, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Kevin Hudson
Career Record: 57-20-9 (Fifth season)
At SMU: Same
QUICK HITS
– The Bulls (6-2, 1-0 AAC) are off to their best eight-match start since going 6-1-1 to start the 2009 campaign.
– USF comes into its matchup against SMU leading the all-time series 4-1-4 … The Bulls have not dropped a decision to the Mustangs in the last seven meetings (3-0-4) … The two sides played to a 1-1 draw last year in Dallas.
– Friday’s match against SMU is the first of two straight that the Bulls will play at Corbett Stadium … Following the meeting with the Mustangs, USF will host Jacksonville on Oct. 15, at 7 p.m.
– Harrison Devenish-Meares has been the mainstay in net for the Bulls playing all 720 minutes and recording 18 saves on 24 shots on goal … He logged his sixth career shutout – and the third of the season – against FGCU on Oct. 1.
– Emilio Ycaza took over the team lead in scoring with his goal against UConn on Sept. 27 … He currently sits with six points … Ycaza’s goal was his team-leading third of the season … Jonathan Rosales has five points (2g, 1a) along with Avionne Flanagan (5a) … Victor Claudel is fourth in scoring with four points (2g) and Javain Brown (2g) is right behind with four points on the year.
SCOUTING SMU
– SMU comes into its match with USF ranked No. 3 in the nation in this week’s United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll and No. 4 in the Topdrawersoccer.com poll … The Mustangs boast a 9-0-1 record and a 1-0-1 mark in The American … Their lone blemish on their record came at the hands of UCF, 3-3 in double overtime on Oct. 6 in Dallas.
– Garrett McLaughlin is one of four players with double-digit points on the year … He leads the Mustangs with 20 points (9g, 2a) while Eddie Munjoma is second in scoring with 18 points (6g, 6a), and Knut Ahlander (4g, 7a) and Gabriel Costa (4g, 5a) have 15 and 13 points, respectively.
THE SERIES VS. THE MUSTANGS
– USF and SMU have met nine times prior to Friday night, with the Bulls leading the all-time series, 4-1-4 … The Bulls have not lost to the Mustangs in the last seven meetings (3-0-4).
– The two schools played to a 1-1 double overtime draw last year on Oct. 6, in Dallas … Tomasz Skublak scored the Bulls’ lone goal.
LAST TIME OUT
– USF and Tulsa played for 68 minutes on Oct. 5, and the Bulls led 2-1, before bad weather moved into the Tulsa area and cause two lightning delays – and heading for a third – that eventually caused the match to be called … The match was stopped at 9:44 p.m. ET and then when lightning continued to strike within the eight-mile limit, the decision was made approximately 10:45 p.m. to call the match.
TRIO EARNS AAC WEEKLY HONORS
– USF had a trio of players earn American Athletic Conference (AAC) honors for the week ending Sept. 29 … Javain Brown was named Defensive Player of the Week and Harrison Devenish-Meares was named Goalkeeper of the Week … Emilio Ycaza was named to the AAC honor roll … It is the second time this season that each player earned their respective honor … The Bulls, 5-2, posted a 2-0 record last week with wins over North Florida (1-0) and against UConn (2-1) in the AAC opener.
HARRY & AYO AMONG NCAA LEADERS
– Harrison Devenish-Meares and Avionne Flanagan are among the nation’s stats leaders entering the SMU match …Devenish-Meares is 24th in the nation in goals against average (0.75) while Flanagan is 25th in the nation in total assists with five.
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 Friday’s match, USF will return to Corbett Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. against Jacksonville.
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