Women sweep through tournament, extend winning streak to four games

All it took was a little senior leadership.

Seniors Jenny Mulvihill, Erica Lewis and Katie Reed led the women’s soccer team to two victories in the LQ Cup in Macon, Ga. hosted by Mercer University.

The three combined for 12 points in the Bulls’ two wins – a 2-0 defeat of Mercer (4-4) on Friday and 3-1 win over Longwood (2-3).

In the opening game, the Bulls took care of the Bears of Mercer on a pair of goals by Mulvihill.

With the game scoreless after the first half, Mulvihill put the Bulls on the board when she knocked a loose ball at the top of the box past Bears goalkeeper Lauren Burch. Mulvihill netted her second goal in the 61st minute to preserve the victory for the Bulls.

On Sunday, the Bulls were dominant against the Lancers of Farmville, Virginia.

Mulvihill was at it again, scoring off a perfect crossing pass by Lewis.

“(Lewis) laid off a perfect ball I didn’t have to do anything, I didn’t have to touch it,” Mulvihill said. “All I had to do was hit it.”

Along with the assist, Lewis also scored on an assist from Jenna Ball late in the game. But the biggest lift again came from Mulvihill, who scored her second goal of the game off an assist from Reed. The two goals gave the senior midfielder six on the season. “Everybody around me is doing a great job of getting me the ball where it needs to be,” Mulvihill said. “I just happened to be the one on the end of it.”

USF (4-1) has won its past four games and has allowed only two goals in five matches this season. With the seniors on the team stepping up, coach Logan Fleck seems satisfied with the way his team is playing.

“There’s some areas we want to tighten somewhat, but we’re making good progress,” Fleck said.

“We are really starting to gel as a team.”

Especially the leaders.