Bulls advance to AAC semifinals

Leticia Skeete scored two of the Bulls’ three goals in a 3-2 win over Cincinnati on Sunday. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/AMINA SPAHIC

The USF women’s soccer team extended their season Saturday, winning 3-2 against the Bearcats in the first round of the AAC tournament. The win moves USF into the semifinals of the competition. 

Cincinnati had an early advantage, scoring within the first five minutes of the game. But the Bulls quickly tied the game with sophomore forward Leticia Skeete getting behind Cincinnati’s defense and
out-maneuvering the goalie. 

“We picked each other up and we pushed because we all know the feeling of losing and we didn’t want that,” Skeete said. 

The final 30 minutes of the game were action-packed and tested both teams as the Bearcats took the lead once again. 

Senior forward Sarah Miller deflected the ball off of Cincinnati’s Devyn Ciotti. The deflection resulted in an own goal for the Bearcats.

In a tense moment for both teams, USF junior midfielder Olivia Chance made an attempt to score, but the ball bounced off the goal post. Quick on her feet, Skeete jumped in to intercept the bounce and made a straight shot into the net with fewer than ten minutes remaining. The Bulls held their lead until the end of the game. 

“Everyone did their job in the end there and I was just the lucky one with my foot at the end of the ball,” Skeete said. 

While Skeete was responsible for two of the goals scored by the Bulls, she refused to take any credit without pointing out how it couldn’t have been without all the girls contributing. 

“It takes such a team effort to get here, with the conference limiting the number of players you can dress,” coach Denise Schilte-Brown said. “It was really hard on the team and they had great chemistry today. They really got behind each other to get this win.”

The Bulls will host East Carolina in a semifinals match at Corbett Stadium on Nov. 7 at 5 p.m.