DATE/TIME: Saturday, Oct. 29 / 7 p.m.
OPPONENT: SMU (6-8-0, 2-3-0 The American)
LOCATION: Westcott Field | Dallas, Texas
WATCH: American Digital
FOLLOW: Live Stats | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
TAMPA, OCT. 28, 2016 – The University of South Florida men's soccer team is in sole possession of first place in the American Athletic Conference, and has two games left in the regular season. The Bulls travel to perennial power SMU Saturday, for its last road game of the season. USF will play at Westcott Field at 7 p.m. and the game will air on the American Digital Network.
The chance to host the American Athletic Conference championship is on the line. In a new format this season, four teams will make the league championship and the top-seed will host the tournament Nov. 11 and 13. USF (7-6-2, 4-1-0 The American) is in first place with 12 points, and a win Saturday would bring the Bulls one step closer to hosting for the second straight season. UConn and Cincinnati are tied for second with nine points. Mathematically, all three teams are still in contention to host.
USF has shutout three conference opponents thanks to senior goalkeeper Spasoje Stefanovic (Belgrade, Serbia). Stefanovic leads the league in shutouts against conference opponents. The Bulls have only allowed three goals in league action, which leads The American.
Lindo Mfeka (Durban, South Africa) continues to lead the team with 11 points (3 goals, 5 assists) but MAC Hermann candidate Nazeem Bartman (Cape Town, South Africa) leads the Bulls with four goals. Bartman scored the game winners.
USF holds a 3-1-2 edge in the series but are 0-1-1 in Dallas. Last season the pair tied 2-2 in a double overtime draw in Tampa. It was the second consecutive year the match ended in a double overtime, 2-2 draw.
THE OPPONENT
SMU (6-8-0, 2-3-0 The American) is playing for a spot in the tournament. The Mustangs are tied for fifth place with UCF with six points. The Mustangs enter the match with a 5-5-0 record at home. Mauro Cichero, Brenden Lee and Garrett McLaughlin lead the Mustangs with three goals apiece. Cichero also leads the Mustangs in shots (40) and shots on goal (16). McLaughlin leads the team in points with nine, followed by Cichero (7) and Lee (6).
The Bulls have reached the NCAA Tournament in nine of the last 11 years, including an 11-6-3 record and a second round NCAA appearance last season. Head coach George Kiefer was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) East Region Coach of the Year. Kiefer led USF to its eighth NCAA tournament appearance in the past nine years and earned the No. 2 ranking in the NSCAA East Region. The Bulls posted double-digit wins for the ninth time under Kiefer in 14 seasons and went undefeated at home during the regular season.
Follow the men's soccer team on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
– #GoBulls –
