University of Louisville
USF
Women's Soccer Falls at Home to USF
October 16, 2009 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 16, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Despite holding an 18-9 advantage in shots, the Louisville women's soccer team was unable to convert those opportunities and fell 3-0 to BIG EAST Conference foe USF on Friday night at Cardinal Park.
With the loss, the Cardinals dropped to 4-10-0 overall and 1-7-0 in BIG EAST games, while the Bulls improved to 7-5-3 overall and 4-2-2 in conference play.
"This game was very emblematic of our entire season," said Louisville head coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes. "I thought we were absolutely great during the first 45 minutes, but we couldn't get a goal to show for that performance and the goal we gave up was a deflection. In the second half, South Florida came out and scored two great goals, yet we still continued to play well even after that. I've never seen what happened to Emily Cardell in the second half when her shot hit at least two posts and came out. It's really the story of our season."
For the game, the Cardinals out-shot USF 18-9 and held a 9-4 advantage on corner kicks but were never able to break through for a goal. The visiting Bulls did finish with a 7-6 edge in shots on-goal and were whistled for five fouls compared to three for Louisville.
After the two teams played more than 37 minutes of scoreless soccer, USF was the first to break through as freshman Taylor Patterson fired a shot from 22 yards away, which deflected off a Louisville defender in the middle of the box and into the lower left corner of the goal for a 1-0 lead in the 38th minute. Cards' freshman goalkeeper Taylor Vancil was in position for Patterson's initial shot, but was unable to make the save after the ball changed directions on the deflection.
Despite trailing 1-0 at halftime, Louisville held a 9-2 advantage on shots and a 4-0 edge in corner kicks during the first 45 minutes. Senior Lindsay Boling had two shots miss wide left and right and sophomores Jennifer Jones and Giselle Mangal each had close misses to the left in the first half.
Following the halftime break, the Bulls added to their lead with a pair of goals in the first four minutes of the second half. Gina Pacheco started the scoring as she took a cross from Rehana Murani near the top of the box and fired it past Vancil for a 2-0 advantage and her first goal of the season in the 47th minute.
USF pushed its lead to 3-0 moments later as Valorie O'Brien gathered in a loose ball rebound eight yards in front of the goal and connected for her second goal of the season in the 49th minute play.
The Cardinals' near-misses on offense continued in the second half with two more close calls by Jones, another narrow miss by Mangal and a shot the freshman Cardell, which actually hit the cross bar and then deflected off the left post and back into play.
Up next, Louisville will host BIG EAST Conference foe Marquette on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at Cardinal Park and the game will be televised locally on WHAS-TV.
