USF settles for draw at home
On Nov. 16 last season, USF defeated St. John’s, an eventual NCAA Final Four team, 1-0 in a hard-fought overtime match to capture the first Big East title in program history.
Though not as much was at stake Saturday, USF coach George Kiefer expected a similar situation against St. John’s, and that’s what USF got as it settled for a 1-1 tie at the USF Soccer Stadium.
“Any time you play a team like St. John’s, you have to expect a tough, grind-it-out match,” Kiefer said. “I felt like it was a really back-and-forth game. We’re a little disappointed in a tie (but) we’ll take the point against a great opponent.”
The No. 3 Bulls lost 1-0 to No. 12 Louisville on Wednesday.
However, it looks like USF would turn around its misfortunes from earlier in the week in the first half against St. John’s (3-2-6, 2-1-4). Senior Ogi Perucica controlled a long ball from goalkeeper Jeff Attinella just outside St. Johns’s box. As Red Storm keeper Derby Carrillo left his post to charge, Perucica lofted a high-arcing shot toward the empty net. The ball ricocheted off the crossbar and landed two yards to the left of the goal, where senior Zak Boggs bicycle-kicked the rebound into the far corner of the net.
It ended a scoring drought for Boggs, who hadn’t had a goal since USF’s opening match of the season against UCF on Sept. 1.
The opening minutes of the second half were played at a slow tempo, with the Bulls (7-2-2, 3-2-2) maintaining their one-goal advantage.
In the 62nd minute, though, St. John’s midfielder Sverre Wegge Gundhus sent a cross into the USF box and midfielder Adam Himeno ripped a shot passed Attinella.
“At the start of the season, I think (St. John’s) had some personal problems going on within the team that prevented them from getting off to a fast start,” Kiefer said. “But that is the same team that went to the Final Four last year. Now they’re starting to find their groove.”
Neither team took advantage of chances into overtime in front of a disappointed 1,678 fans – the largest so far this season.
USF suffered two injury blows in the match, but Kiefer said they’re just minor problems. Boggs and midfielder Shawn Chin tweaked their hamstrings, forcing the Bulls to go to their bench.
“Losing (Boggs and Chin) in the middle of a match is tough, but that’s why we spend so much time training,” Kiefer said. “Our subs were prepared, and I thought they played very well.”
More Stories
USF student court rules candidates didn’t intimidate voters
Students might have noticed that the official announcement for the Student Government (SG) presidential elections for the upcoming term was delayed. Here’s a look at what slowed down the process. Suryakanth Prasad Gottipati and Sumit Subhash Jadhav won the election with 1,702 votes. However, Alexa Matos and Rithvik Lee Pack, presidential candidates and runner-ups, filed […]
Trouble following USF divestment debate updates? Here’s what to know.
Since last fall, a group of USF students have been calling for the university to divest. With months of protests and news, here’s a breakdown of the divestment movement. Related: USF student leaders narrowly pass divestment measure On Oct. 7, a designated terrorist group, known as Hamas, launched an attack on Israel, according to a […]
USF ditched its trademark green regalia. Are students digging it?
With commencement around the corner, seniors are sizing up the newly redesigned caps and gowns they’ll don next week. But does the new regalia get the Bulls’ approval? Students can’t agree. Last fall, USF replaced its signature green regalia with a black cap and gown with green accents. The placement of university seals on the […]
Recording in USF’s MSC isn’t allowed. Here’s how you can get approval.
Students from various majors are starting to record their last video projects for their classes as finals week approaches. It’s all fun and games until students are prohibited from recording in one of the most iconic USF buildings — the Marshall Student Center (MSC). However, Althea Johnson, a USF spokesperson, said recording isn’t entirely prohibited […]
USF admin’s response to suicides unclear. What we know so far.
USF’s administration will not say who or how it will prevent future suicides on campus a month after a student leapt from an upper floor balcony of the Interdisciplinary Science Building – the third suicide since fall 2022. The Oracle has asked repeatedly about which USF administrators are overseeing suicide prevention initiatives and how the […]
USF SG leaders look back on campaign accomplishments while on non-speaking terms
Student body president Cesar Esmeraldi and vice president Elizabeth Volmy reached nearly every campaign goal during their term. The one thing that didn’t persevere was their unity. The pair ended their tenure reflecting on it from separate rooms. “We’ve had a great year,” Esmeraldi said. “I’m very happy with everything we’ve built. But because of […]