Eddie Moalosi did it again.

With 10 minutes left in the match against Stetson on Monday night, USF was given a golden opportunity – a penalty kick after junior forward Kennedy Adablah was taken to the ground in front of the Stetson net.

With two exhibition goals in one game against the University of Tampa, Bulls coach George Keifer decided to call on the redshirt junior Moalosi for the penalty kick.

It was Moalosi’s first career regular season goal as a Bull.

“I had to take it,” he said. “I had to make it. I had to take the responsibility as one of the leaders on the team. I was a little bit nervous but I had to calm myself down.”

The opportunity was even more golden because USF only managed nine shots on goal in the match, while Stetson had five.

Moalosi had to stay calm for the penalty kick and lead teammates in waiting patiently for goal chances.

“We were getting frustrated because every time we reached their goal, we kept losing the ball,” Moalosi said.  “In the second half, Coach told us to keep moving the ball around and we forced them inside the box. That’s how we got a penalty kick.”

In a following play, Stetson made one last charge at USF’s goal, but Moalosi raced towards the ball and kicked it to opposite end of the field to kill Stetson’s final chance.

Moalosi said he hasn’t always played both sides of the field.

“Coming to USF I was not a good player defensively,” Moalosi said, “The coaches have told me in order to play at the next level I have to play defensively, so I’ve been working hard to play both sides of the game.”

Keifer said he doesn’t need him to be a great defender.

“When we lose the ball, it’s about the reaction,” he said. “It’s not that you have to be a great defensive player, but if you can put pressure on the guy who wins the ball, he won’t have time to do much offensively. Moalosi is very good at that.”

Keifer said that goalkeeper Brenton Muhammad kept the backs organized and helped limit Stetson (1-1-0) goal chances to five.

“It’s about constant chatter,” Keifer said. “I heard the back four (defenders and goalkeeper) all night, and that’s a big step in the right direction for them.”

USF (1-0-1) will head out on the road to face the Michigan Wolverines, who are ranked 14th nationally on TopDrawerSoccer.com poll, on Saturday at 8 p.m.