USF Ice Bulls Rout Middle TennesseePhotos by Carl Wagenfohr
USF defenseman Matt O'Neill (20) scores his first ever goal as an Ice Bull
With an early morning start, it took the University of South Florida Ice Bulls a period to get going. But once they woke up, the Bulls rolled over the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders Sunday. Connor Lyons led South Florida with five goals as they defeated MTSU 9-2 at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon. The Bulls jumped out to an early lead on Lyon's first goal 7:04 into the game but the Blue Raiders battled back to tie it midway through the first period. South Florida took the lead for good when Matt O'Neill scored his first ever goal as an Ice Bull with under two minutes remaining in the first. Rick Merlo fired a hard shot from the top of the circle, which ricocheted off the MTSU goalie's pad. O'Neill, standing on far side of the net, picked up the rebound and banged it home. USF never looked back. Ricky Nelson got the Bulls rolling in the second with a goal just 36 seconds into the period. Lyons tallied number two on the day and Nelson added another to put the Bulls up 5-1 at the second intermission. Lyons scored three more times in the third and Jared Vidovic added a goal to seal the 9-2 win. Lyons was named the Checker's player of the game for his efforts. The Ice Bulls, currently ranked third in the American Collegiate Hockey Association D-III south region, will take the week of Thanksgiving off and will then close out the semester with a tournament in Atlanta the first weekend in December. South Florida will host the first Annual Madison Goss and Friends Tournament in Ellenton, Fla. Jan. 18-20. Madi is a three-year-old girl in Atlanta battling a rare form or cancer. The tournament, named in her honor, will feature eight college hockey teams and will serve as a fundraiser for the medical trust funds of Madi and other children battling pediatric cancer. For more information on the Ice Bulls, go to http://icebulls.org/
USF goalie Danielle Faries makes a stick save in the third period. Faries, the only woman player on a collegiate men's hockey team, allowed only one goal in two periods of play.
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