Bulls Solid on Both Ends of the Field in Exhibition Win Over Dolphins

TAMPA- The University of South Florida would do all of their scoring damage in a span of about five minutes in its 2-0 exhibition victory over Jacksonville University Sunday evening at USF Soccer Stadium.

The in-state foes would play a scoreless first half, although the Bulls had a number of great scoring opportunities throughout the half.

The Bulls outshot the Dolphins 7-3 in the half with four of the Bulls seven shots on goal, while none of JU's attempts were on goal.

The teams remained scoreless until the 52nd minute. That is when USF would get on the board at 52:20 as sophomore Gina Pacheco would take a feed from freshman Taylor Patterson and fire a shot towards the Jacksonville goal. The ball then deflected off a Dolphin defender and squirmed past the diving JU keeper to make the score, 1-0 in favor of the Bulls.

It wouldn't take long for the Bulls to get back on the offensive, as sophomore Chelsea Klotz, the Bulls' leading scorer in 2008, sent a blast from 15 yards out to the back of the net with redshirt freshman Brittany Burt chipping in the assist.

With the USF offense cranking up the heat, the Bulls' defense put a muzzle on the Dolphin's attack that seemed to get tighter and tighter as the game went on.

USF would only allow three shots, none of which were on goal.

The suffocating defense opened up numerous scoring opportunities for the Bulls offense throughout the game. USF outshot the Dolphins 17-3. Seven of the Bulls shots were on goal.

Senior goalkeeper Mallori Lofton-Malachi started in goal and had a pretty uneventful evening. Lofton-Malachi was replaced in goal by freshman Gaby Garton midway through the second-half.

Garton wouldn't see much action either as the Bulls kept the ball on the Dolphin's side of the field.

The game marked the first of two exhibitions that the Bulls will play as they prep for the 2009 season.

The Bulls will host St. Leo's on Saturday, August 23 at 7:30 at the USF Soccer Stadium.