Womens Soccer: USF Shuts Out Providence

[Brad]

Courtesy USF

USF WOMEN'S SOCCER: Lofton-Malachi Records Third Straight Shutout in 2-0 Victory Over Providence

TAMPA (9/28/08)- The University of South Florida women’s soccer team came home looking for their first BIG EAST conference win of the season and the Bulls got just that. 

The Bulls would once again use the recipe of tenacious defense mixed with the timely scores by sophomore Brittany Pilon and freshman Alejandra Santos to shutout the Providence Friars, 2-0, at USF Soccer Stadium.  The Bulls jumpstarted a double-header with the men’s soccer team that was being aired on Bright House Sports Network.

“We are very proud of the team. To come out and score two goals against a good BIG EAST team is great,” said Bulls head coach Denise Schilte-Brown. “It was great to show off our new stadium and even better to come away with a win.”

After an initial rush by both teams to open the game, the pace of the game would slow as each team tried to establish their own tempo.

The Bulls would strike first off a corner kick in the 33rd minute. Freshman Noelle Pineiro lofted a pass to freshman Valorie O’Brien; O’Brien would then redirect the ball to the left foot of sophomore Brittany Pilon. The sophomore from Naples sent a low drive from just inside the ‘18 to the back of the net to give the Bulls a 1-0 lead that they would never relinquish.

“It’s great to see Brittany come off the bench and score her first career goal,” said Schilte- Brown. “It’s tough to score one goal on a BIG EAST team so to get two is outstanding.”

With a live television audience watching on Bright House Sports Network, junior goalkeeper Mallori Lofton-Malachi was on showcase once again for the Bulls.  Malachi stopped six shots, many of which were highlight reel material. Lofton-Malachi registered her fifth shutout of the season matching her total from a year ago and improving her career total to 10.

Through the first ten games, the Philadelphian has only given up six goals while making 62 saves. She has not given up a goal in the last 308 minutes of action.

With men’s team waiting to take on West Virginia watching, Santos would put the game on ice for USF by tacking on an insurance goal with 23 seconds remaining in regulation.  The score came off an assist from freshman Rehana Murani on a two-on-one break away. The goal was the second in three games for Santos.  Santos scored the game-winner one week ago against FAU.

In the second half, the Bulls would possess the ball for most the half and in doing so limited the Friars offensive opportunities. Any serious threats were thwarted by Lofton-Malachi along with the rest of the Bulls defense.

With the win the Bulls improve to 5-2-3 on the season and even their BIG EAST record to 1-1-1 while Friars fall to 5-3-1 and 0-2-1. The win marks the marks the third straight win over Providence for the Bulls and the fourth straight shutout of the Friars. The Bulls are now 3-0-1 against Providence.

The Bulls have shut out back-to-back BIG EAST opponents for the second straight year as they shut out Syracuse (W, 1-0), Providence (T, 0-0) and Villanova (W, 1-0) last season. The shut out is also the third in as many games.

The Bulls are3-1-1 in their last five games and have only allowed two goals over the five game span.

The Bulls will look to make it two in a row when they travel to South Bend, Ind. to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Oct.3 at 7:30 p.m. The following Sun. Oct. 5, USF will do battle with DePaul in Chicago in a 1 p.m. start time. 

Wrong ball, Brad