WEEKLY RELEASE
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The 2018 American Athletic Conference women’s soccer championship field is set after the conclusion of the regular season schedule on Sunday. Six teams advanced to postseason play with top two teams receiving byes to the semifinals. The tournament is hosted by No. 1 seed 18/14 USF at Corbett Stadium in Tampa, Fla., and begins on Halloween.
Previews
Wednesday, October 31 – First Round (Tampa, Fla.)
No. 6 Temple vs. No. 3 UCF – 4:30 p.m. ET (American Digital Network)
For the fifth time in six years, UCF has secured a top-three seed in The American women’s soccer championship and will take on sixth-seed Temple in the kickoff game of the tournament. Led by sophomore striker Stefanie Sanders and senior goalkeeper Vera Varis, the Knights look to make it to the semifinals for the second-straight year. The Owls secured their second conference postseason spot and have how made the championship in two of the past four years. UCF won the regular season matchup at Temple, 2-1, on September 27.
FR2: No. 5 SMU vs. No. 4 ECU – 7 p.m. ET (American Digital Network)
ECU charged up The American standings in the final week of play, moving from outside the postseason field to the No. 4 seed thanks to two shutout wins to end the regular season. 2018 will be the Pirates first appearance in The American Championship. SMU, which re-entered the national conversation with votes in the top-25 poll last week, makes its third-straight tournament. ECU was victorious in Greenville, N.C., 2-1, in late September.
Friday, November 2 – Semifinals (Tampa, Fla.)
SF1: FR1 Winner vs. No. 2 Memphis – 4:30 p.m. ET (American Digital Network)
Memphis has been one the nation’s best teams all season long as they entered the top-25 poll five weeks ago and never left. The national-ranked Tigers dropped just three matches this season as they racked up 15 wins including 11 shutouts, the most in the country. Memphis has made four of the past five American Athletic Conference championships and has been the No. 2 seed three times. The Tigers blanked Temple, 1-0, last Sunday, but were topped by UCF, 2-0, in mid-October.
SF2: FR2 Winner vs. No. 1 USF – 7 p.m. ET (American Digital Network)
The Bulls take aim at their second-straight American Athletic Conference title and do so on their home field after going 8-1 in league play. USF has been in the national polls since the preseason and are peaking at the right time with highest ranking this week. National Player of the Year candidate Evelyne Viens, the country’s leading scorer, paces a high-powered Bulls attack. USF has made every American Athletic Conference tournament however 2018 is the first the Bulls have hosted the event. USF played both ECU and SMU in Tampa in October and were victorious, 4-0 and 5-1, respectively.
Sunday, November 4 – Championship (Tampa, Fla.)
Winner Semifinal 1 vs. Winner Semifinal 2 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
Tickets for the first round, semifinals and championship match can be purchased from the USF ticket office at
1-800-GO-BULLS.
For more information on the American Women's Soccer Championship, please visit championship central at
www.theamerican.org/wsoccer.
Wednesday, October 31 – First Round (Tampa, Fla.)
FR1: No. 6 Temple vs. No. 3 UCF – 4:30 p.m. ET (American Digital Network)
FR2: No. 5 SMU vs. No. 4 ECU – 7 p.m. ET (American Digital Network)
Friday, November 2 – Semifinals (Tampa, Fla.)
SF1: FR1 Winner vs. No. 2 Memphis – 4:30 p.m. ET (American Digital Network)
SF2: FR2 Winner vs. No. 1 USF – 7 p.m. ET (American Digital Network)
Sunday, November 4 – Championship (Tampa, Fla.)
Winner Semifinal 1 vs. Winner Semifinal 2 p.m. ET (ESPNU)