Boggs’ blast lifts Bulls

Senior Zak Boggs got back to what he does best Wednesday night: score goals.

In the 31st minute, Boggs ripped a direct free kick into the upper-right corner of the goal past DePaul goalkeeper Joe Ferrari, giving No. 3 USF a 1-0 win over DePaul at the USF Soccer Stadium.

“There was no way that keeper was getting to that. I think it nicked off the crossbar – great goal” said USF coach George Kiefer.

With Boggs’ goal, which he said was “right where I was aiming,” USF (12-2-2, 6-2-2) extends its win streak to five matches and its home-unbeaten streak to 28, as it aims to finish strong in the regular season finale at Rutgers on Saturday.

The Bulls are now two points behind the first-place Louisville Cardinals in the Big East Red Division standings. The Cardinals beat Cincinnati on Wednesday, clinching the division’s top seed in the Big East tournament, which starts Wednesday.

USF can clinch the Red Division’s No. 2 seed with a win against Rutgers.

“It’s about recovering,” Kiefer said. “We’ve made a conscious decision to not try anything new at this point. We’re trying to get our spacing better, our movement better. We’re focusing on the way we move the ball. It’s really paying off.”

Boggs, who is second on the team with four goals, said the win was just one more step toward another title run. The Bulls won the Big East championship on their home field last season.

“That’s always something good to build on, especially going into the postseason,” Boggs said. “We can shoot it from distance. We can get around the sides and whip it in. Things are coming together.”

Prior to Wednesday’s match, USF had seven goals in its last three games.

“That’s pretty good,” Boggs said.