{"id":226996,"date":"2026-04-10T23:46:32","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T23:46:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/226996\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T23:46:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T23:46:32","slug":"49ers-aiming-to-snap-skid-against-usf-in-tampa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/226996\/","title":{"rendered":"49ers Aiming to Snap Skid against USF in Tampa"},"content":{"rendered":"

CHARLOTTE, N.C. \u2013 The Charlotte 49ers Women’s Lacrosse team (6-6, 1-2 American) is headed to Tampa, Fla. on Saturday to take on the USF Bulls (8-4, 3-0 American) at Corbett Stadium. Currently on a two-game skid in Conference Play, the Niners are looking to snap the streak by winning a second straight meeting against South Florida; opening draw is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN+.
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\nSCOUTING THE BULLS
\nUSF has had rollercoaster last three games, falling 15-14 to No. 23 Richmond, overcoming Liberty 9-8 in 2OT, and most recently being edged out 14-8 by No. 7 Florida. Head Coach Mindy McCord’s squad, also in year two as a program, features the top-ranked offense in the American by averaging 13.58 goals per game, 24th nationally. Ranking fourth in Division I with an average of 34.25 shots per game, the Bulls put 23.33 of those attempts on goal per game and have high-scoring potential against any opponent.
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\nSofia Chepenik leads the way up front with 42 points, including a team-high 31 goals. Ava Uphues (30 goals) and Elise Grissett (29) are another pair of goal threats on an offense keyed by Maggie Newton and her 27 assists.
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\nUSF ranks highly on the draw, sitting 16th nationally in draw control percentage (.596) and 19th in draw controls per game, at 15.00. The Bulls also collect the 17th most ground balls per game in the country, at 17.75 per contest. Natalie Eastwood paces the side with 31 of them so far this season, one of eight players for South Florida with 11+ ground balls on the season. Draw controls have also been a comprehensive effort, with five players sitting at 20+ in 2026; Kali Cleary is the leader so far, with 60.
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\nHISTORY VS USF
\nCharlotte stunned a USF squad that sat at 9-2 on the season at Jerry Richardson Stadium last season on Apr. 4, taking a 17-16 win for the Niners’ first ever American Conference win. Kylie Gioia<\/a> scored six goals and added an assist in the win, followed closely by Torres (four goals, two assists) and Brooke Alessandrini<\/a> (one goal, four assists). Defensively, Gianna Cutaia<\/a> finished with four ground balls and three caused turnovers while Lily Barger<\/a> ended the game with four and two. \u00a0
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\nSAME OPPONENT, SAME RESULT?
\nInterim Head Coach Sarah Stagaard<\/a>‘s squad has cooled a bit since ripping off a program-record 5-0 run midseason, but with three games left to play the 49ers are very much still in the postseason mix. If Charlotte can knock off the Bulls in second-straight season, the program’s second conference win this season puts the Niners firmly into the American race as one of the four teams to make the Conference tournament. With games left at USF, home vs. Temple, and at ECU, Charlotte is seeking multiple Conference wins for the first time down the stretch.
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\nCAN THE OFFENSE SPARK AGAIN?
\nCharlotte’s attack still ranks second in the American in scoring offense (13.25), shot percentage (.449), and shots per game (29.50), each of those ranking between 28th-33rd nationally; the Green and White also sit 37th among the DI ranks in shots on goal per game, averaging 21.25. However, the 49ers have been held to 11 or fewer goals in three American Conference contests heading into Saturday, where Interim Head Coach Sarah Stagaard<\/a>‘s side will have a chance for another big offensive outburst against a team where it’s happened before.
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\nATTACKERS TO WATCH
\nAttacker Isa Torres<\/a> leads the line, ranking 14th nationally in goals per game (3.58) and 23rd in overall goals, with 43; both marks lead the American. The junior generates 5.58 shots on goal per game, which ranks 12th in the country and is the primary driver on an offense that features three other 20+ goal scorers in Brenna Romanello<\/a> (22), Sophia Rakis<\/a> (21), and Katie Gorski<\/a> (20). Gorski (18) and Rakis (16) have been dual threats, leading the Niners in assists so far in 2026.
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\nCAN SOMEONE GO OFF FOR CHARLOTTE?
\nHalf of the highest scoring individual efforts in the American this season come from the 49er ranks; Rakis is one of three players in the Conference to have reaching the nine-point threshold, Torres is the only player to have reached eight points in multiple games (twice) and appear three times on the list, and Gorski joins the pair as the third Niner with seven or more points in an outing this season.
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\nDEFENSIVELY IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
\nGoalkeeper Katie Ling<\/a> sits second in the American in both saves (98) and saves per game (8.17), which rank her 39th and 31st at the Division I level. Bella Burke<\/a>, who leads Charlotte in ground balls with 28, sits fourth in the American and 66th nationally with 2.33 per contest.
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\nBIG DAY ON THE DRAW
\nRanking 18th nationally and first in the Conference with 8.27 draw controls per game, freshman Olivia Andrus<\/a> has 91 on the season and will be looking to become the first 49er to break the century mark in a season in her first collegiate year. Going against a USF team that’s also been strong in the circle, a fifth game with double-digit draws from the Austin, Texas native could be pivotal.
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\nOVERALL STAT LEADERS FOR CHARLOTTE
\nPoints \u2013 Isa Torres<\/a> (52), Katie Gorski<\/a> (38), Sophia Rakis<\/a> (37)
\nGoals \u2013 Torres (43), Brenna Romanello<\/a> (22), Sophia Rakis<\/a> (21)
\nAssists \u2013 Gorski (18), Rakis (16), Torres (9)
\nGround Balls \u2013 Bella Burke<\/a> (28), Romanello\/Katie Ling<\/a> (15), Torres (14)
\nCaused Turnovers \u2013 Burke (15), Kiera Armitage<\/a> (11), Torres (10)
\nDraw Controls \u2013 Oliva Andrus (91), Hailey Kulesa<\/a> (23), Armitage (21)
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\nUP NEXT
\nThe 49ers return home for the final time in 2026 on Friday, Apr. 17, hosting the Temple Owls for Senior Day at Jerry Richardson Stadium. Opening draw is set for Noon and the game will be aired on ESPN+.
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