TAMPA, OCT. 22, 2016 –  The outcome of Saturday’s game was vital to both the University of South Florida and Memphis men’s soccer teams. The Bulls, playing to remain in first place, defeated the Tigers, who are fighting for a spot in the American Athletic Conference Tournament. In the sixth minute, Nazeem Bartman sealed the Bulls win, their fourth win in the league, in an eventual 1-0 decision at Corbett Stadium.

 

Bartman (Cape Town, South Africa) scored on a long ball from Graham Smith (New Hope, Pa.). Bartman got the ball 18-yards out, and beat a Memphis defender and put the ball in the lower left corner.

 

Spasoje Stefanovic (Belgrade, Serbia) made four saves, including one in the final minutes to clinch his second consecutive shutout.

 

QUOTABLES:

 

Head coach George Kiefer thoughts on the game:  

“I thought that was a good performance for our guys. They were very good defensively and they’re starting to do a good job organizing the guys in front of them. Spasoje made a great save at the end to secure the shutout.

 

Head coach George Kiefer on playing Memphis:  

“Memphis plays other teams and are a little bit looser, but are more organized in conference play. To be fair, they are playing for a spot in the conference tournament. They are in tough spot mathematically so when you’re playing a team that’s playing for their life, it’s a little bit tougher. I thought the guys were focused. The last two years we haven’t brought our A-game against them and they’ve been able to sneak a point.” 

 

KEY STAT:

USF led in shots for the majority of the game, and only lost the advantage in the final minutes of the game (15-13).

 

NOTABLES:  

Bartman’s goal is his fourth of the year and the MAC Hermann candidate now leads the team in goals this season. Bartman’s four game-winning goals is second in the league behind Abdou Thiam (UConn) and Jorge Gomez Sanchez (Temple) who each have six this year.  

 

USF’s seven shutouts this season ties for third in the American Athletic Conference. Spasoje Stefanovic accounts for six of the Bulls’ shutouts this year.

 

Stefanovic’s scoreless streak has now reached 180 consecutive minutes.

 

Up Next:

With only two games remaining in the regular season, the Bulls travel to SMU Saturday, Oct. 29. The Bulls will face the Mustangs at Westcott Field for a 7 p.m. CT kick. The game will air on the American Digital Network.   

 

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.

 

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