Unbeaten Bulls back on the road
Coming off another dominating defensive weekend, the USF men’s soccer team (3-0-0) looks to prove its No. 8 ranking in the Soccer America poll with a successful showing in this weekend’s Dartmouth Tournament.
Thanks to two more wins over the weekend, against Georgia State and Robert Morris by a combined 4-1 score, the Bulls have climbed up another spot to No. 8 in the Soccer America rankings. The Bulls are also ranked at No. 11 in the NCAA Coaches’ Poll.
Head coach George Kiefer said he likes his team’s aggressiveness on the way to the undefeated start.
“I’m happy about how they’re going after teams,” Kiefer said.
Now the Bulls travel to Hanover, N.H., for the Dartmouth College Soccer Tournament. They first match up Friday night with Bradley, which also comes into the tournament unbeaten at 3-0-1.
The Braves have climbed to No. 23 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com NCAA Tournament Projection Poll. The Bulls sit at No. 13 in that same poll, which projects the 48 teams that will make the postseason NCAA Soccer Tournament.
The Bulls then take on host Dartmouth (0-1-1). Although they have not won this season, the Big Green are coming off a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Boston College, ranked No. 8 in the NCAA Coaches Poll and No. 14 in the Soccer America Poll.
Knowing that both of their opponents are experienced in playing the top teams in the nation, the Bulls look to continue their defensive dominance, which has carried them to a 6-1 goal advantage this season.
Goalkeeper Chris Blais, with only one goal allowed this season, and forward Dom Dwyer, with a team-leading three goals, will be key for the Bulls to stay undefeated.
“I think the key for us will be not to look to go to 5-0,” Kiefer said. “I don’t want to slide tackle two games at once. We’ve got to first look to go to 4-0.”
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