Seabrook saves USF in OT

Jordan Seabrook co-leads the men’s soccer team in goals, leads the team in shots and shots on goal, and now co-leads the team in game-winning goals. Seabrook took a pass from midfielder Kris Raad with 4:40 left in overtime Wednesday night to lead USF (6-4-2) to a 1-0 victory over FAU (3-6-1). The game broke a two-game losing skid for the Bulls and was the first win at home for USF all season.

“We were trying to get behind (FAU) a man down,” Seabrook said of his goal. “Kris Raad knocked me on a great ball, threw on the right. The defender turned around; I knew he had a little indecision. I had limited time. I just tried to put it on (FAU). I got a good hit on (the ball), and it went over the goalie and went right in.”

The game-winning goal was the fourth goal and second game-winning goal of the season for Seabrook, which ties him with Rodrigo Hidalgo for a share of the team lead in both categories.

“Aside from the game, a goal is a goal,” Seabrook said. “I think the team really needed something to pick them up. I think it was (because of) us playing hard and finally being rewarded for how hard we’ve been playing.”

The Bulls lost defender Andre Townsend in the 59th minute of the game because of two yellow cards, but USF was able to come together and beat FAU regardless.

“This game was a big win for us being down a man,” coach George Kiefer said. “This team, with the record we have, could have easily went into the tank, and I think we had some guys that stepped up in Sammy (Castellanos) and Kareem Smith. You heard them getting guys going. I think those two guys rallied the group.” USF narrowly missed three goals in this game, which would have made the overtime period unnecessary. In the first half, a shot from Anthony Wallace in the 28th minute hit the crossbar of the net, and in the 37th minute, a goal shot from Hidalgo just missed getting by a diving Phillip Lamarre. In the second half, another shot from Wallace sailed just high of the goal.

“(We) had three great chances early in the game,” Kiefer said. “I give the guys credit.”

The Owls had difficulty keeping up with the Bulls speed, fouling the Bulls players 26 times. Kiefer wasn’t upset with the overall foul amount, but was concerned about the number of fouls that an individual player may have made.

“I wish that there would be some kind of education when it’s one guy doing all of the fouling that that gets handled,” Kiefer said.

Wednesday night’s game was the first time USF and FAU have met since 2003 when USF won 4-3 in double overtime. The scheduled games in 2004 and 2005 were canceled due to rain.