Bulls topple WVU, end streak
Hungry and prepared, the Bulls devoured the “steak sandwich” USF men’s soccer coach George Kiefer called West Virginia earlier this week.
On the road, facing the team with the nation’s longest home winning streak, the odds were against the Bulls.
Amid a raucous Mountaineers’ crowd, the Bulls passed their first Big East test with flying colors by winning in Morgantown to end No. 16 West Virginia’s nation-leading home win streak at 13. The 2-1 victory moved No. 17 USF to 5-2-1 on the season.
West Virginia’s junior midfielder Shadow Sebele got the scoring started when he tipped a low cross into the edge of the goal in the eighth minute to give the home team an early lead, and the Mountaineers looked like they would roll to their 14th straight home win.
USF junior forward Dom Dwyer quickly quelled that notion. After taking a quick pass from freshman Wesley Charpie, Dwyer knocked in his team-leading seventh goal of the season to equalize in the 16th minute.
Despite multiple opportunities, the Bulls’ next best chance came when junior Stiven Salinas was harshly tackled 25 yards from the goal in the 75th minute. Freshman Lucas Baldin stepped up for the free kick and blasted it to the top right corner, just beyond the hands of WVU goalkeeper Justin Holmes.
“When I was coming into work Wednesday, I saw Lucas and a couple of other guys practicing resets and set pieces, so to have the game-winner come on that exact situation was a life lesson for the team,” Kiefer said.
Baldin’s goal was enough, as the Bulls’ defense held, despite a great chance for the Mountaineers on a free kick with 15 seconds remaining.
“This was probably the best team we’ve faced all year. And to come in and go down one, and take the game back, and eventually win … I’m learning a lot about this team,” Kiefer said.
More Stories
Column: USF men’s basketball, thanks for the fun season
This is a personal column about assistant sports editor Noah Vinsky’s first-hand experience covering men’s basketball. Sports have always run in my blood. Growing up, ESPN was nearly on a constant loop on my living room television. I came to USF knowing I wanted to be a writer. The Oracle seemed like a great place […]
USF’s Mindy McCord builds culture of “family and love” into lacrosse
At 23 years old, a career in coaching was not what Mindy McCord had envisioned. After a stint playing for one of the top field hockey teams in Australia following a successful college playing career, she returned to America. McCord was on track to earn a master’s degree in counseling at Virginia Tech while coaching […]
USF campus ministers offer perspective on stadium development: ‘Exciting benefit of exposure.’
Take a tranquil stroll down Sycamore Drive. It’s a quieter part of campus, hidden away from the usual hustle and bustle of USF. It’s home to an area colloquially known as “Religious Row,” a collection of on-campus religious organizations. In just a few years – with the construction of an on-campus football stadium – the […]
Here’s why these USF softball players chose their jersey numbers
For athletes, the number they wear is more than the added fabric on the back of their jersey. It often tells a deeper story about the players — who they are and where they come from. Here’s why these three USF softball players chose their respective jersey numbers. Related: USF softball is gaining momentum during […]
USF football head coach Alex Golesh: The man behind the process
Football coach Alex Golesh said USF has been on his mind since his own days as a college student when the program was top five in the country. “I distinctly remember sitting there watching it and thinking ‘What is S Florida and what are they doing in the top five in the country?’” Golesh said. […]
USF baseball matches last season’s wins at midseason
USF baseball has reached its midseason, powering through a turnaround year. Despite losing to Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday 7-5, It has already won 21 games, matching the same total from last season with a road victory against Tulane on Sunday. The Bulls (21-16, 7-5 AAC) stand third out of 10 teams in the conference. […]