Women’s soccer game time

When: Tonight, 8 p.m.
Where: Milwaukee, WI.
TV/Radio: N/A

Traveling for the first time this season outside Florida is a good time for the USF women’s soccer team to bond, said coach Denise Schilte-Brown.

“We get to be together as a group, and I don’t think we’ve gotten to do that since preseason,” she said. “I’m really looking forward for that time together.”

USF (2-3-1) will play Marquette (5-2-0) on the road tonight at 8 p.m. to open the Big East schedule. The Golden Eagles, who have a 4-0 home record, are coming off a 1-0 upset of then-No. 23 Minnesota.

Last season, the Bulls opened the Big East against Marquette, losing 1-0 on an overtime goal. However, Schilte-Brown said her team doesn’t need that for motivation.

“I feel like we haven’t been (looking back too much),” she said. “We’ve been really in the ‘now’ and it seems like we’re a team that’s in the present.”

USF returns redshirt freshman midfielder Kristin Chenault this week, who suffered a knee injury during last year’s Marquette game. She re-aggravated her knee this summer but was cleared to play Monday.

“My freshman year against Marquette I tore my ACL and MCL, so I redshirted,” Chenault said. “It feels very good to come back against (Marquette). They’re a very good team and I think we can step up and beat them this year.”

The Bulls travel to play in-state foe Stetson at 4 p.m. Sunday. The Hatters defeated Jackson State 1-0 last weekend.

The Stetson game concludes USF’s non-conference schedule. However, all Schilte-Brown is concerned about is Marquette.

“You know it’s really tough to look ahead when we have a Big East game in front of us,” she said.

— Johnathon Mulder