Box Score

TAMPA - The University of South Florida women's soccer team extended their unbeaten streak to five matches as the Bulls played the No. 13 Rutgers Scarlet Knights to a scoreless tie Sunday afternoon at the USF Soccer Stadium.

Both teams had a number of good scoring chances during the first 25 minutes of scoreless action.

The Bulls would put four shots on goal to Rutgers' three. USF’s best opportunity came on a break away from sophomore Chelsea Klotz on a great outlet from freshman defender Bahar Sansar.

Klotz was one-on-one with Rutgers' keeper Erin Guthrie but her right footed shot was deflected by Guthrie and was cleared without damage and kept the match deadlocked at zero.

In the half, the ‘Green and Gold’ held a 7-4 advantage in shots taken.

USF opened the second half with what looked to be a pair breakaways but the Bulls were whistled for offsides.  From the opening of the half they continued to force the issue, and in doing so created some good chances.

While the offense was aggressiv in the attack, the Bulls' defense was equally impressive. The Bulls back line of Sansar, Boo Eagle and Brittany Pilon played fast, suffocating resistance and shut out a Rutgers' attack.  RU came into the match averaging over two goals per game and having outscored their opponents by a 23-6 margin.

The Bulls defense would hold the Scarlet Knights without a shot on goal from the 28:30 mark in the first half to the 106th minute of the match.

With temperatures well into the 90s, the heat began to take its toll on both teams but the Bulls weathered the heat as head coach Denise Schilte-Brown used timely and constant substitutions to keep the Bulls fresh.  The only players that did not leave the game for USF were Lofton-Malachi, freshmen Taylor Patterson and Boo Eagle played the entire 110 minutes.

Consistently throughout the second half, USF controlled the tempo and used a number of smooth passing sequences to set up a opportunities however they could not capitalize.

The Bulls best chance of the half came when Patterson’s cross was narrowly missed by several Bulls before it was cleared by the Scarlet Knights.

After 90 minutes of scoreless soccer, the teams headed to extra time with both teams clearly gassed. In the first overtime neither team would register a shot on goal as neither team was able to put any type of attack together.

In the second overtime the Knights would take the only shot on goal. The Bulls continued their strong defensive effort and stopped any type of attack Rutgers tried to mount.

For the match the Bulls outshot the Knights by an 9-8 margin in total shots and held a 5-4 advantage in shots on goal. Four of the Bulls five shots came from leading scorer Noelle Pineiro and second-leading scorer Chelsea Klotz.  Both registered two apiece.

Making her 49th straight start, Lofton-Malachi made four saves on the afternoon en route to her 19th career shutout and her fifth of 2009. The shutout is her second in as many games. She has not allowed a goal in her last 207 minutes in goal.

With the tie, the Bulls moved to 5-4-3 and 2-1-2 in the BIG EAST with six conference matches remaining.

The Bulls just have two home matches remaining on the 2009 schedule. USF welcomes Providence on Friday, October 9 at 7:30 p.m. and nationally-ranked Connecticut two days later with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday, October 11. On Oct. 11, USF will honor its four person senior class.