USF Soccer Takes on UC Irvine

Dom Dwyer and crew need to get a win this afternoon after dropping a rough match on Friday night. (Picture: goal.com)

The USF men need to get it together after dropping a match to St. Louis on Friday night, the competition does not get any easier with UC Irvine coming in today to take on the Bulls (game starts at noon).

UC Irvine is 7-0 on the season, including 3-0 away from home, so the home field may not give USF the edge in this game. The Bulls really need to get a win after they dropped to 3-2-1 on the year as they try to keep pace in the Big East.

UC Irvine is led by senior forward/midfielder Christian Hernandez (5-8 155-pounds) who leads the team with 5 goals on the season and has added 2 assist. Sophomore forward/midfielder Enrique Cardenas (5-6 150-pounds) has 5 goals and has taken 30 shots on the year, watch for him to attack early and often.

Senior forward/midfielder Miguel Ibarra (5-7 135-pounds) has 2 goals on the year and 4 assists to lead the team. Freshman forward Lester Hayes III (6-5 191-pounds) has 1 goal and 1 assist in the 5 games he has played this season. Sophomore forward Christopher Santana (5-10 165-pounds) has 2 goals and 1 assist on the year.

Senior defender Everett Pitts (6-2 170-pounds), defender Jonathan Rivas (5-11 175-pounds), and freshman defender Victor Calderon (5-7 149-pounds) all have 1 goal on the year as well.

In the net is senior Andrew Fontein (-1 180-pounds). He has only allowed 7 goals all season (.95 goals per game) while making 18 saves (.720 stopping percentage) and has recorded 2 shut-outs.

USF really needs this game and will look to the big strikers, Dom Dwyer, Leston Paul, and Ashani to get the job done today. Blais will have to work hard in the net because Irvine will take a lot of shots if the backline doesn't hold together and the Bulls need to get going on offense to get the lead and keep the attack going.