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FLORIDA

No. 13 Gator Soccer Team Posts 3-1 Exhibition Win versus No. 5 Texas A&M

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The No. 13 University of Florida soccer team posted a 3-1 win versus No. 5 Texas A&M in an exhibition match held Saturday evening at the James G. Pressly Stadium.

"First of all, we are really pleased that A&M came to play this game because playing a match versus good competition before the regular season begins is a huge plus. Hats off to them for agreeing to come to Florida for this exhibition," UF Head Coach Becky Burleigh said. "As far as the way we played, I thought the first 10 minutes we showed a lot of nerves. We weren't quite in sync as far as keeping the ball. But after that, I was really, really happy with the way we played. I think we did some good stuff offensively, we sort of secured things defensively and we got to play everybody. It was good to have this exhibition before the season starts next Friday."

The first goal of the match came when junior All-American Ameera Abdullah's cross found senior KeLeigh Hudson in the box, where she hit the eight-yard shot in the 35th minute.

The Aggies tied the match early in the second half. Elisabeth Jones score on a 12-yard right-side shot off the assist from senior Ashlee Pistorius at 51:29.

UF received scores from two freshmen Saturday night. Senior Bianca Gibbs took a deep shot that deflected off of the Aggie goalkeeper.

Redshirt freshman Anne Rose was there to put in the short shot at 65:00 to put the Gators ahead. In the 81st minute, the Gators expanded the lead to two goals when Angela Napolitano crossed the ball to Ashley Harris, who was near the top of the box. She didn't take the shot, but sent the ball to freshman Alyshah Smith, who scored off a seven-yard shot.

The Gators' season officially opens next weekend, when Florida plays host to Indiana on Friday, Aug. 31. Then 2006 NCAA runner-up Notre Dame makes its first visit to Pressly Stadium for a Sept. 2 match set for 1:30 p.m.

TAMPA

Volleyball

Spartans Finish off Mountain Lions to Conclude Tampa Classic

TAMPA, Fla. - The University of Tampa volleyball team, ranked number one in the nation, displayed domination for the second consecutive match while defeating the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs by a final score of 3-0. The Spartans improve to 2-1 on the season as the Mountain Lions fall to 1-2.Following a 30-15 victory in game one, the Spartans took a 19-4 lead in the second game en route to a 30-12 victory in the game. Freshman Melissa Vanderhall aided the rally by serving the Spartans to 10 consecutive points, which included four service aces. UT, which used 13 players, allowed its reserves to see the majority of action in game three as the Spartans won the final game 30-26.Vanderhall, playing in her third career match, enjoyed her top performance with five kills, three digs and a team-high four service aces. The Spartans recorded 15 aces on the day, including six players with multiple aces.Alisha Green led the Spartans in kills for the third consecutive match as she turned in 12 as the lone Spartan in double figures. Gabriela Saade had 35 assists and also led the way with eight digs.Tampa, who hit .488 for the game, relied on impressive attack performances by Camila Saade (8-9) and Erin Clark (7-8) to help the category.The Spartans return to action on Tuesday as they host Dowling at 4 p.m.

Men's soccer

Tampa Wins Season Opener in Dramatic Fashion

THOMASVILLE, Ga. - The University of Tapa men's soccer team took some momentum from its season opener, defeating Thomas University by a score of 2-1 in overtime. Tampa is now 1-0 on the season as the Night Hawks fall to 0-1.Kevin Sierra scored the game-winner, connecting on a goal that was assisted by Ryan Maxwell. The assist was one of two for Maxwell on the evening.Tampa returns home to host third-ranked West Florida on Friday at 8 p.m.USF Media Release

SOUTH FLORIDA

Volleyball

Lessinger Pleased With Scrimmage

TAMPA, Fla. (Aug. 25, 2007) - Head coach Claire Lessinger was pleased with the volleyball team's scrimmage on Saturday afternoon, which featured the white team defeating the green team, 22-30, 30-27, 31-29.

All players saw action in the three-game match, with senior Kristina Fabris posting the lone double-double with a team-high 16 kills and 11 digs."I was pleased to see the competitiveness on both sides," coach Claire Lessinger said. "I think it was a true result of all players being in uniform and being in a real game, which we haven't done before in practice.All seven newcomers saw significant playing time and had a chance to showcase their skills on the court and continue to build team chemistry. With a full roster of 15 players, this was a great opportunity for head coach Claire Lessinger to preview different combinations of players on the court and who could compliment the returning players."The great thing about this match is that it showed that we have a lot of depth," Lessinger said. "It's great being a coach knowing that we have a lot of possibilities and options on the floor and I am really excited abut it."

The defense was solid on both sides of the net, with both coming up with big stops at the net or keeping the ball off the floor. The white team tallied 45 digs to the green team's 42, and white had 5.5 blocks to green's 4.0

"I was really pleased with our defense and the ability of both sides to keep the ball off the floor," Lessinger said. "We practiced that a lot in preseason because we are a scrappy team and want to continue being known as that."

The volleyball team will open its 2007 campaign on the road Sept. 1-2 at the Western New York Invitational. The Bulls home opener is on Sept. 13 against in-state foe UCF.

Women's soccer

Bulls Shut Out Knights 3-0

ORLANDO, Fla. - Following a lengthy lightning delay, the University of South Florida women's soccer team wrapped up preseason with a 3-0 shut out of the UCF Knights Saturday evening in Orlando.

Senior Autumn Browning notched two assists while classmate Paulina McIntosh, sophomore Kaneile Thomas and junior Lindsay Brauer each scored one goal.

In the first half, Browning sent a ball to McIntosh, who took a one-time shot from 10 yards out to put the Bulls up 1-0. In the 60th minute, Thomas added a second goal for USF, an unassisted free ball taken in the box.

The Bulls' final tally was a Browning-Brauer goal as Brauer took a pass into the box, then placed the ball in the left corner of the net.

Sophomore goalkeeper Mallori Lofton-Malachi made three saves in 90 minutes, while the UCF goalie saved one Bull shot.

The Bulls are 2-0-1 in exhibition games so far this year, including a 1-0 victory over Tampa Aug. 18, a 1-1 tie with Northern Illinois in Orlando on Aug. 21 and tonight's 3-0 shut out.

Sophomore midfielder Kaneile Thomas leads the team with five points in preseason, followed by four from junior forward Lindsay Brauer, who scored the Bull's first goal of the exhibition season.

USF's regular season opener is a week away, when the Bulls face the Stetson Hatters at 4 p.m. in DeLand. Admission to the Stetson Soccer Complex is $5 for adults and $4 for seniors and students.

USF's home opener is September 28 when the Bulls face off against the preseason No. 10 Connecticut Huskies at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for that game are $5 for adults, $3 for youth 16-and-under and $2 for groups of 10 or more and are available on www.GoUSFBulls.com or by calling 1-800-GoBulls. Season tickets are also available.

SAINT LEO

Men's soccer

Saint Leo University Men's Soccer Team Defeats Saint Anselm College 4-1 For First Win Of Season

Eusebio Montoya Scores Two Goals and Adds Assist, as Lions Remain Unbeaten

Manchester, N.H. (August 25, 2007) - Junior forward Eusebio Montoya (Smithfield, N.C.) scored two goals andadded an assist, as the Saint Leo men's soccer team(1-0-1) picked up its first win of the season with a 4-1triumph over Saint Anselm College (0-1-1) on Saturday afternoon.

Montoya and strike partner Brandon Whitsett (Jr., PalmHarbor, Fla.) were once again able combine to provide thebulk of the offense for the Lions, as Whitsett added agoal and an assist for the second straight contest.Sophomore Daniel Asher (Silver Springs, Md.) rounded thevictory with his first career goal.

Montoya opened the scoring in the 18th minute, as he tooka pass from Whitsett and fired beyond the reach ofgoalkeeper Scott Johnson for his second goal of theseason. The two then reversed roles in the 27th minute,as Whitsett took a through ball and rounded the 'keeperbefore slotting home from an acute angle for a 2-0 lead.

Saint Anselm pulled a goal back in the 37th minute, assent the teams into the half-time locker room with SaintLeo ahead 2-1.

After a slow start to the second half, Saint Leo regainedits two-goal advantage in the 80th minute, as a cross fromfreshman Kyle Kuhlman (Fr., St. Petersburg, Fla.) was letrun on by Whitsett and fell to Montoya who made no mistakeby firing beyond substitute goalkeeper John Corrdian for a3-1 lead. Asher then pounced on a loose ball with justover three minutes left to wrap up the victory.

The Lions return home for their 2007 home opener nextSunday, September 2 against south region rival WestFlorida. The match will kick off at 3:00 p.m. atUniversity Field.

ECKERD

Men's soccer

Eckerd College shuts out Flagler, 3-0

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. ? For the second year in a row, Eckerd College has defeated Flagler College in the Saints season opener. Last season the Tritons need overtime for a 2-1 win, but this year there was no need for an extra session as Eckerd won 3-0 Saturday night in the light rain at Saints Field.

Greg Cavallini got Eckerd (2-0) on the board first as he intercepted a pass at midfield and took it around Flagler's goalkeeper in the 14 th minute. In the 28 th minute, Eckerd would score an insurance goal as Jon Copland blasted a shot from 30 yards out. A Flagler defender tried to chest the ball away from the goal but inadvertently pushed the ball into the goal for an own goal for Eckerd.

Curt Viscome added a goal in the 71 st minute as he booted in a cross from John Fletcher that Flagler keeper Josiah Holtz (Clermont, Fla./East Ridge HS) just barely got his hands on.

Flagler dominated in much of the offensive categories, out-shooting Eckerd 16-8 and led in corner kicks 13-1. Shots on goal, however, were an even eight apiece.

Jim Lebonitte recorded eight saves for the Tritons in earning the shutout. Holtz tallied five saves for the Saints.

Flagler travels to DeLand on Aug. 31 to take on Division I Stetson University in a 7 p.m. match. The next home match for the Saints will be Sept. 4 against 11 th -ranked (NAIA) Embry-Riddle University at 7 p.m. Eckerd hosts Clearwater Christian on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Florida State Wins FSU Invitational For Second Straight Year

The Seminoles knocked out TCU three games to one in an intense match-up in Tully Gym.

FLORIDA ST.

Volleyball

Tallahassee , Fla. - Coming off an earlier win against UNC Asheville, the Florida State women's volleyball team claimed the FSU Invitational title after defeating TCU three games to one Saturday night. This is the second consecutive season the Seminoles have claimed the tournament title on Lucy McDaniel Court. Florida State starts the 2007 campaign with a 2-0 record while TCU drops to 2-1.

Three from Florida State were names to the All-Tournament team, senior Makini Thompson (Quincy, Mass.), junior Mira Djuric (Belgrade, Serbia) and sophomore Brianna Barry (Winter Springs, Fla.). Djuric was also crowned the Most Valuable Player of the weekend-long tournament.

Djuric's double-double of 19 kills and 25points superseded her performance in the earlier match against UNC Asheville where she notched a double-double with 19 kills and 22 points. The Oregon transfer also stunned the Horned Frogs with four aces, three of which came on her second time in the server's position in game three.

Thompson was second on the team for kills with 17, scoring 18.5 points for the Seminoles. Sophomores Barry and Jackie BonSalle (Albuquerque, N.M.) rounded out the double-double for Florida State, Barry with 17.5 points on 14 kills and BonSalle with 12 kills and 13 points.

"We had a really great preseason and the team worked hard," head coach Todd Kress said. "We saw a lot of focus out of this group so we had high expectations coming out this weekend. I don't think we played our best volleyball in match one against UNC Asheville, but we started to find our stride in game two against TCU. People started to do their job and that's all that is required for us to do in order to have a solid season.

"Even though we have a couple upperclassmen on the court we are still a very young team so we give a lot of our freshmen and sophomores considerable playing time which will help us score more in the long run."

The first home conference match will be against in-state rival Miami on Friday, September 14 at 7:00 p.m. Next up, Florida State travels to East Lansing, Mich., August 31 through September 1 for the Spartan Invitational hosted by Michigan State. The Seminoles will take on Missouri State , Kansas and the Spartans inside Jenison Field House.

[Last modified August 26, 2007, 01:04:41]