USF's Lofton-Malachi drafted, then traded, at WPS draft

South Florida goalkeeper Mallori Lofton-Malachi was selected with the 39th pick of the Women’s Professional Soccer Draft by the Atlanta Beat before being traded to the Philadelphia Independence for University of Georgia forward Carrie Patterson on Friday afternoon.

Lofton-Malachi was a mainstay for the Bulls for the past three seasons, setting records for most career shutouts (18) and goals against average (1.12). She also started 52 consecutive games for the Bulls to conclude her career.

Colleges: No.5 Notre Dame squashes USF's hopes

The University of South Florida women’s soccer team was looking forward to the challenge of facing No.5 Notre Dame in the Big East tournament quarterfinals.

With half-an-hour of the contest gone, and the Fighting Irish’s Melissa Henderson having already scored a hat trick, the Bulls may have been wondering if they should have been careful what they wished for, as they saw their season come to a crashing end. Notre Dame added another pair of goals before halftime, and advanced to the tournament semifinals with a 5-0 victory at Alumni Stadium.

“That was a really well-executed and decisive effort for us,” Notre Dame head coach Randy Waldrum said. “When you get into the conference tournament, and particularly when you're coming in off a bye while the other team has had a chance to play already, there's a concern that you might come out flat or unfocused. But we were sharp right from the opening kickoff, we got the early goal and we kept putting the pressure on them.”

Notre Dame took the lead in the 11th minute, as Julie Scheidler’s cross from the right found Henderson at the penalty spot, and the Irish’s leading scorer turned and fired home. The Irish doubled their lead five minutes later, an angled ball from the right side of the penalty area from Lauren Fowlkes finding Henderson for a volleyed finish.

Henderson completed her hat trick in the 29th minute, capitalizing when Bulls goalkeeper Mallori Lofton-Malachi was unable to take a cross cleanly to score her 11th of the season.

Fowlkes then scored her eighth of the season before Lofton-Malachi was substituted for Gaby Garton, a disappointing end to a standout career for the Bulls senior goalkeeper. Garton allowed the Irish’s fifth goal, scored by Ellen Jantsch in the 39th minute, and made four saves after coming on.

While the end to their season came in disappointing fashion, the season as a whole should be viewed as a success for the Bulls.

For a start, they finished the season 9-8-3 overall, the first time the Bulls have finished above .500 for a season since 1999. In addition, of the team's seniors, only Lofton-Malachi saw major playing time for the Bulls this season, giving Coach Denise Schilte-Brown players who progressed greatly over the course of this season to continue to build around in the spring and next season.

Foremost in these is the sophmomore strike duo of Chelsea Klotz and Noelle Pineiro, who combined for 16 goals this season, and junior Angelique Waller, who was outstanding in defense for the Bulls all season. Add in the experience gained by players like Gina Pacheco, Bahar Sansar, Rehana Murani and Taylor Patterson, all of whom could represent Canada in the CONCACAF qualifying tournament for the 2010 Under-20 World Cup in Germany, and the Bulls appear to have a bright future.

Colleges: Waller's drive pushing Bulls to success

TAMPA – To play college athletics at any level takes a certain amount of competitiveness.

A lot of the time, that competitiveness is either there, or it isn’t. In the case of South Florida’s Angelique Waller, it’s been there from the very start of her Bulls career, and it is now helping fuel the Bulls as they try to spring a big upset on Sunday afternoon at No.6 Notre Dame in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament.

Not that Waller really thinks too much about what she’s doing when she’s out on the pitch.

“Most of the time I’m just thinking of playing my hardest for everyone on my team,” Waller said. “I don’t want to give anyone short of what I have to offer, so I just play hard every single time I’m on the field because I know I have a talent not many people have.”

In games, Waller’s competitiveness can be seen in the way she competes for every 50/50 challenge, and isn’t afraid to take on the responsibility of defending an opponent’s best attacker. But it is practice that her drive really comes though, according to Bulls coach Denise Schilte-Brown.

“A lot of people don’t notice her competitiveness,” Schilte-Brown said. “It’s hard unless you’re out here day-in and day-out to see how competitive she is, but she wants to win, and she uses that innate desire to get it done.”

Waller’s competitiveness has clearly impacted the team as it has gone through the season. A vocal leader, she isn’t afraid of pushing her teammates on in practice if she feels the effort required for success is absent.

“For sure, because when we’re practicing and someone’s not giving everything they’re capable of giving, I’ll get on them and make sure they start working harder,” she said. “I think most people know, especially in practice when they’re on my team, they know I’m going to yell at people if they’re not playing their hardest.”

Waller believes that attitude developed from her time in high school at Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Fla. The Eagles have become a women’s soccer powerhouse this decade, winning four consecutive state soccer titles while Waller was on the team, and adding a fifth the season after she graduated.

“I think that’s really where I got so competitive,” Waller said, “because our team wouldn’t sell short of anything but a state championship, so that just grew on me.”

That attitude has rubbed off on her teammates. Bulls goalkeeper Mallori Lofton-Malachi, who has become one of Waller’s best friends on the team, remains impressed with the way Waller approaches the game.

“She’s just an awesome player,” Lofton-Malachi said. “People knock her down, she gets up. She’s an awesome athlete, I don’t think I’ve played with anyone like her before.”

Waller takes the same approach away from the pitch. An engineering major, she enjoys finding new ways to challenge herself physically and mentally. Sunday’s game in South Bend, Ind. against the Fighting Irish is a challenge she is looking forward to.

“I’m really excited,” Waller said. “I really wanted an opportunity to play them this year because I know they’re such a great team. We’ve got to go up there and go for it.”

Colleges: Klotz lifts Bulls into Big Easy quarterfinals

TAMPA – Whenever the University of South Florida’s women’s soccer team has needed a spark this season, it has always seemed to be Chelsea Klotz that has provided it.

On Thursday night, after the Bulls and DePaul had fought in a scrappy contest that saw more fouls than shots on goal, Klotz scored her ninth goal of the season, and fifth game-winner, to send the Bulls into the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament with a 1-0 victory against DePaul.

Klotz, who had earlier had a goal disallowed on a close offside call, made the Blue Demons pay for a poor turnover, picking up the ball just outside the penalty area in the 84th minute before driving her shot home past DePaul goalkeeper Claire Hanold.

“She did well,” Bulls coach Denise Schilte-Brown said. “It was her first 90-minute game, we didn’t take her off the whole game, and I thought she not only worked hard but she stayed focused and continued to work for an opportunity. “

With the Bulls missing four starters – Taylor Patterson, Rehana Murani, Gina Pacheco and Bahar Sansar—who are trying to earn a place on the Canadian under-20 national team, Schilte-Brown had to turn to players like Taylor Brown and Kendall Campbell, both freshmen, who performed admirably under the circumstances.

“A lot of the girls just went in these positions that they hadn’t played before and said, ‘I can do it,’ “ Schilte-Brown said. “Just confidently took it upon themselves to be positive and confident and I think did really well. There’s just so many things to take away from this game and say, ‘hey, you guys are a great team, and you played together and we’re really, really proud of you.’ “

With the absences, though, the performance of goalkeeper Mallori Lofton-Malachi may have been the most important. While she only made four saves on the game, each one was critical. Schilte-Brown said that when Lofton-Malachi came out and established her presence early in the game, it set the tone for the way she performed the rest of the night.

“I feel that when you walk out to the pitch, and you can hear Mallori starts yelling and she’s getting on her teammates in a positive manner, and then that first service comes in and she catches it, that’s it, she’s going to have a fabulous game,” Schilte-Brown said. “That was it for her today, the first serve came in, she came off her line, cleaned it up, and she didn’t miss one (after that).”

The Bulls will travel to No.6 Notre Dame in the quarterfinals. Schilte-Brown said she expected the Bulls’ Canadian contingent to return to the squad in time for Sunday’s game, and that the team was optimistic it could pull the upset of the top-seeded Fighting Irish.

“I feel confident,” Schilte-Brown said. “I feel like (Notre Dame likes) to play soccer, and so do we, and we will have kids back from national camp who should probably be on a high, and we have the girls that just played here and should be on a high, so we’re going with a lot of positive energy. Why not take that and beat a top team?”

Colleges: Bulls focusing forward on Blue Demons

TAMPA – It didn’t take long for South Florida's women to put Sunday’s disappointing loss to Syracuse behind them.

The Bulls appeared eager, and ready, for Thursday night’s Big East tournament first round game against DePaul as they practiced on Tuesday afternoon. According to Bulls assistant coach Adam Sayers, the team has been looking forward to getting back to the tournament, and is excited to have a home game against the Blue Demons.

“Our goal all season had been to get into the Big East tournament, and we achieved that goal, so rather than focus on last weekend, we’re looking ahead to what is a very exciting home game,” Sayers said. “Getting to host in itself is a big achievement, so we’re looking forward to the game, the players are looking forward to the game. There were a lot of positives to pull out of last weekend, results aside, and we’re going to focus on those and fit them into the DePaul game.”

South Florida and DePaul didn’t face each other in the regular season, but those within the Bulls camp are expecting a physical game that will require the Bulls to maintain their discipline if they are to move on to face Notre Dame on Sunday. The Bulls are excited, though, to get a home game to start the playoffs after finishing with four consecutive road games to end the regular season.

“Knowing it’s a home game, we’re just really excited,” defender Angelique Waller said. “We get to gain our confidence back after a loss away, so I think we’re going to play as a team and get the win this week and go on the road and beat Notre Dame.”

PENALTY PRACTICE: Moving into the postseason means no more ties, and the prospect of penalty shootouts if teams can’t settle things in regulation or overtime.

The Bulls finished practice with a round of spot kicks as Coach Denise Schilte-Brown began formulating who might be called upon should a game go to penalties. Also getting practice was Bulls goalkeeper Mallori Lofton-Malachi as she tried to stop her teammate’s shots, and she was in a good mood after practice when asked if she had any specific things she tried to do when facing penalties.

“If I told you, then I’d have to kill you,” she said with a straight face before breaking into a smile. “I just try to stay as confident as possible because in the end goalkeepers aren’t supposed to be the ones scoring the goals, we’re not really expected to save them, so you just try to do the best you can in there and try to stop some.”

PROPER PREPARATION: With the bulk of the Bulls’ squad being underclassmen, there are only a handful of players who have competed in the Big East tournament before. Lofton-Malachi and Waller are two who have, and Lofton-Malachi said the most important thing for the side to do is make sure it takes care of what it wants to try and do in the game.

“I think we’re really focused on ourselves,” Lofton-Malachi said. “(DePaul is) probably as excited to be in the Big East tournament as much as we are again. I think me, Angelique and (Lindsey Krawower) are the only ones, with a couple of other people, who have been in the Big East tournament first round, so it’s exciting for everyone, but I think we’re more focused on ourselves and what we need to do to beat them and play Notre Dame on Sunday.”

Sayers added that from the moment the Bulls knew they would be playing on Thursday, the team’s focus has been on preparing properly to ensure a good start to the game and advancement into the tournament quarterfinals.

“Everything from the end of the previous game leads up to those first 20 minutes (of the game),” Sayers said. “So we’ll make sure the preparation is correct physically in terms of the training we do leading up to the game and the warm-up, we’ll make sure that’s to the required standard. Nutritionally we’ll make sure everything is in place so they’re as fueled as possible going into the game, and then we’ll implement the game plan that we’ve set out.”

Colleges: Bulls fall in overtime to Red Storm

South Florida saw its chance to win the Big East American division title likely slip away as St. John’s scored in the second minute of double-overtime to win 1-0 and jump the Bulls in the standings.

Courtney Lane scored the game-winning goal, finishing a move started by midfielder Amanda Pasciolla. She found Vailla Barsley, who took a touch and found Lane at the top of the penalty area, and Lane fired her shot into the right corner of the net past an outstretched Mallori Lofton-Malachi in the 102nd minute.

The Bulls (8-6-3, 5-3-2 Big East) only need a point from their final game against Syracuse to secure their place in the Big East tournament, and if results go their way they could still earn home field for the quarterfinals. The loss, though, was a tough one as the Bulls had entered on a three-game winning streak.

The Red Storm (12-4-1, 6-3-1) had had the better of the game in regulation, and Lofton-Malachi did well to keep the game scoreless making five saves. The Bulls chances were limited, Taylor Patterson finding room for a pair of shots that tested St. John’s goalkeeper Kristin Russell, but the Bulls were at their most dangerous in the first period of extra time as Patterson and Valorie O’Brien each had shots saved while Chelsea Klotz and Noelle Pineiro both sent chances wide.

Colleges: Bulls rally to upset No.24 UConn

South Florida closed out its home schedule with a remarkable 2-1 victory against No.24 Connecticut, Gina Pacheco and Chelsea Klotz scoring second half goals as the Bulls overcame a halftime deficit.

The Huskies (9-5-0, 4-3-0 Big East) took the lead in the 28th minute, as Elise Fugowski scored off a rebound after Melissa Busque’s initial shot was saved by Mallori Lofton-Malachi.

The Bulls (6-5-3, 3-2-2) responded well after halftime, building pressure before Pacheco fired in the equalizer in the 56th minute. After receiving a pass from Taylor Patterson at the top of the penalty area, Pacheco fired a shot past diving UConn goalkeeper Jessica Duloski into the top-left corner.

Pacheco said the side had been working on getting more shots on goal from outside the penalty area in practice.

“What’s been most important for me that we’ve been working on in practices is getting that shot off from the top of the box,” Pacheco said. “Obviously it was effective, and that’s something we need to do more.”

Pacheco almost gave the Bulls the lead with a minute of the restart, only to be denied. The Bulls continued to press forward, and with 10 minutes to play Pacheco turned provider, centering to Klotz, who shot home left-footed for her fifth goal of the season.

Bulls coach Denise Schilte-Brown was full of praise for Pacheco.

“He belief showed in the way she played,” Schilte-Brown said. “She wanted the ball, she got the ball, she drove it at the goal.

“She was the spark for us.”

The Bulls moved into a tie with Marquette for fourth place in the Big East American division with the win, and now close the regular season with four straight road games, beginning next Friday at Louisville.

College Women's Matchday: No.24 Connecticut at South Florida

WHEN: Sunday, noon, USF Soccer Stadium.

NEED TO KNOW: South Florida will try to rebound from a loss to Providence as it faces UConn in its final home game of the regular season. The Bulls close the season with a four straight road games over the upcoming two weekends.

South Florida (5-5-3, 2-2-2 Big East) saw its five-game undefeated streak come to an end as the Friars earned a 1-0 victory on Friday night. The now face a Huskies squad that is also looking to rebound after a 3-2 double-overtime loss to Marquette on Friday night. UConn currently sits second in the Big East American division, six points ahead of the Bulls.

The Huskies (9-4-0, 4-2-0) average two goals per game, Linda Ruutu and Melissa Busque tied for the team lead with six goals apiece. Busque has also added five assists, putting her tied for fifth place in the Big East in scoring with 17 points.

Noelle Pineiro leads the Bulls with six goals, her last goal coming two weeks ago in a 2-1 win against West Virginia. The Bulls hold a better goals-against-average than the Huskies having conceded only 0.85 goals per game. Goalkeeper Mallori Lofton-Malachi is tied for fourth in the conference with a .861 save percentage.

Colleges: Bulls undefeated streak ends at hands of Friars

South Florida (5-5-3, 2-2-2 Big East) saw its five-game undefeated streak come to an end as the Bulls own Bahar Sansar scored an own-goal for the only goal of the game as Providence (7-5-2, 2-3-1) won 1-0 on Friday night at the USF Soccer Stadium.

Sansar misplayed a corner kick by Alyssa Gillespie, leaving goalkeeper Mallori Lofton-Malachi helpless. The goal ended a 247minute shutout streak by Lofton-Malachi, who last conceded a goal against West Virginia on September 27.

The Bulls had chances to tie the game, most notably with nine minutes to play when Molly Stack’s cross found Taylor Patterson in the penalty area, but Patterson sent her header just over the crossbar.

Bulls coach Denise Schilte-Brown said she was disappointed by the loss, and the performance.

“I didn’t feel like we came prepared to play today,” Bulls coach Denise Schilte-Brown said. “I thought we made some good adjustments in the second half as a team, created a lot of opportunities, had them on the ropes, but couldn’t put one in the back of the net.”

South Florida closes its home schedule with a tough test against Connecticut on Sunday at noon, a game the Bulls may now need to win in order to maintain their challenge for a place in the Big East Conference Tournament.

“It’s a big game,” Schilte-Brown said. “The girls have played well on Sundays. They’ve been professionals and recovered well and I think they’ll be ready.”

Colleges: USF Women continue undefeated run, tie with No.13 Rutgers

TAMPA – South Florida’s women extended their undefeated streak to five games, and picked up another point in Big East play, but were unable to break down the tough defense of No.13 Cincinnati as the two teams played to a 0-0 tie at the USF Soccer Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

“I think we worked hard as a team,” Bulls goalkeeper Mallori Lofton-Malachi said. “Or course we would have liked to score, but we got a point against a ranked team, a good Big East team. In the Big East, when you come out with a point, it’s almost like a win, so I don’t have any problem with it.”

Lofton-Malachi recorded four saves for her fifth shutout of the season, and was a dominant presence in her penalty area all game, catching cleanly to snuff out Rutgers’ set piece opportunities. Bulls coach Denise Schilte-Brown said she thought Lofton-Malachi’s confidence in net reflected on the team as a whole, as the Bulls were for good periods of the game visibly the better team.

“Mallori was really good today again,” Schilte-Brown said. “I think that we felt Mallori’s confidence the whole game, and that continued, and that was pretty exciting.”

While the Bulls were able to control large spells of possession, with Valorie O’Brien and Bahar Sansar doing an excellent job in the center of midfield, the Scarlet Knights’ defense sat deep for the most-part, not allowing much space for Chelsea Klotz, Noelle Pineiro and substitute Kelly Campbell to find room in behind them. Taylor Patterson also threatened down the left side, twice appearing to have broken the Scarlet Knights’ offside trap early in the second half, but both times drawing a whistle.

That spell of play early in the second half, which also saw a cross by Patterson deflect off the top of the crossbar, had Schilte-Brown thinking a goal was forthcoming for her side.

“I felt like we were moving the ball and doing the right things, and we had more energy on the Sunday again than the other team,” Schilte-Brown said.

Rutgers did threaten later in the game, and in both overtime periods, but South Florida’s defense proved as hard to crack as the Scarlet Knights’.

The performance left Lofton-Malachi feeling good about where the team is as it prepares for another pair of home games next weekend.

“I think we’ve got something special this year,” Lofton-Malachi said. “I mean, you look back and we played Seton Hall my freshman year and we lost 2-1, 3-1, I don’t remember. We played Rutgers my freshman year and lost 5-0, so we’ve turned around and beaten Seton hall and tied Rutgers, a ranked team, it’s working. I think we may have finally got it.”

Colleges: USF's Lofton-Malachi, Pitt's Kulla star in goalless draw

South Florida’s Mallori Lofton-Malachi and Pittsburgh’s Natalie Kulla stole the show on Thursday night as both recorded shutouts as the Bulls and Panthers played to a 0-0 tie at Founders Field.

The lack of goals on the night did not come by way of a lack of chances as the two sides combined for 29 totals shots. Brittany Burt and Taylor Patterson each forced a pair of saves out of Kulla in the Pittsburgh net as the Panthers goalkeeper made eight saves on the night.

Lofton-Malachi wasn’t to be outdone, recording seven saves for her second shutout of the season, and 17th of her USF career.

“Tonight was a very well-played match,” Bulls coach Denise Schilte-Brown said. “I am proud of the way the team came in and battled for 110 minutes. We understand that every league game from here on out will be a difficult task and tonight proved that. Pittsburgh is tough place to come in and play. Of course we wanted to come out with a victory but a tie on the road in this conference is an acceptable outcome.”

As expected, Ashley Cuba proved the biggest scoring threat for the Panthers, taking a game-high four shots, two of which forced Lofton-Malachi into saves. But the Bulls defense was solid, holding off some late pressure by the Panthers to earn their first point in Big East play.

South Florida will return home and begin a five-game home stand on Sunday against West Virginia at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast locally on the Bright House Sports Network.