Utes dominate USF 4-1
Utah?s Bobbie Benegas notched a pair of goals as the Utes defeated the USF women’s soccer team in the Bulls season opener Sunday at the USF Soccer Stadium.
Benegas got Utah (1-1) on the board first at the 21-minute mark off a scramble for the ball in front of the USF (0-1) goal. Utah lofted a corner kick, but neither team was able to immediately gain possession. Benegas finally corralled the loose ball and slid it into the left corner of the box past goalkeeper Valerie Wetzel to put Utah ahead for good 1-0.
Three minutes later, Utah struck again.
Missy Dennis snuck past the USF defense and drilled an unassisted goal past Wetzel for the eventual game-winning goal, extending Utah?s lead to 2-0.
Utah then recorded its third goal of the half in the 39th minute. Erin Pruitt found Katie Tate and Utah went to the half leading 3-0, completing a first half in which the Utes outshot USF 9-1.
The Bulls showed signs of life in the second half, but it proved to be too little too late. Freshman Stine Hagh recorded her first collegiate goal off a penalty kick to close the gap to 3-1.
But that would be as close as USF would get.
Benegas scored again in the 79th minute off an assist from Amber Brown, punctuating the Utes’ dominating victory. For the match, the Utes pounded out 17 shots on goal compared to USF?s five.
But the game was not the only thing USF lost Sunday. Junior defender Jamie Anderson was given a red card during an altercation with a Utah player. Anderson was ejected from the match and must sit out USF?s next contest against Stetson Wednesday.
Contact Brandon Wright at oraclebrandon@yahoo.com