Sports: Bulls bits

Bulls bits

By ROD GIPSON

TAMPA -- The opportunity for the South Florida men's soccer team to make a statement came and went last Friday in the form of a 3-0 loss to Alabama-Birmingham. Prior to that game, the Bulls were 8-0 and ranked No. 9 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll.

But the loss to the Blazers knocked the Bulls from the ranks of the unbeaten and dropped them nine spots to 18th nationally (fourth in the South Region). They also fell short of the school record of 10 wins to start a season. But give the Bulls credit for having short memories -- they quickly erased any lingering effects from that loss by defeating East Carolina 1-0 two days later on a goal from senior Joe Valencia.

Now 9-1 and 3-1 in Conference USA, the Bulls are in third place behind Saint Louis (4-0) and Alabama-Birmingham (3-0). The Bulls are at the UNC-Greensboro tournament today with a game against the host team, followed by a game with North Carolina on Sunday. USF will be back in conference mode Oct. 20 at Saint Louis.

WOMEN'S SOCCER: The Bulls split last weekend's games to finish their stretch of five games in nine days at 2-3.

The Bulls lost 4-1 to Florida Atlantic on Sunday, getting their lone goal from sophomore forward Stine Hagh. Last Friday, the Bulls topped Jacksonville 3-1 in a solid performance. Leading scorer Hagh (five goals), Aleia Long and Jen Stahl tallied goals. USF played both of those games without junior midfielder Erin Sharpe, who sat out after receiving a red card in a 1-0 loss to No. 12 Florida State on Oct. 2.

USF (4-5-2 overall, 1-2-1 in C-USA) hosts TCU tonight at 7.

WOMEN'S GOLF: The Bulls placed eighth at the Franklin Street Trust/Tar Heel Invitational on Oct. 6 in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Bulls, who reached the NCAA Tournament last season, shot a final-round 316 for a 54-hole total of 943. Fany Schaeffer led the team with a 16th-place finish at 14-over-par 230.

Rivals Duke and North Carolina captured the first- and second-place spots, respectively.