SANTA CLARA, Calif. – It was better late than never as the USF women's soccer team snapped a 31-match winless streak against Santa Clara with a 1-0 road victory over the 19th-ranked Broncos on Sunday afternoon at Stevens Stadium. USF (7-2-3, 1-0-0) came into this year's WCC opener looking up at a 0-30-1 record against their conference rival. 

The win also gives USF its first victory over a ranked opponent since a 2-0 upset of then-No. 22 Pepperdine on Oct. 22, 2006. 

"They're a great program," commented fourth-year head coach Jim Millinder after the match. "Their team has had a great year and I'm sure they're going to go on and make a run at the WCC title. We had some early chances in the first half, but then we just tried to absorb it in the second half. Every one of the girls just did a great job." 

Samantha Jehnings was tackled in the penalty area in the 21st minute, helping setup the ultimate game winner. Jehnings converted the opportunity by pounding the penalty kick into the upper right corner for her team-leading fourth goal of the year.  

"Coach told me early on that if we get a PK, I'm taking it," said Jehnings. "I didn't expect to get that (penalty call). I was just thinking, 'You need to make this; this could be the game changer.' You make one goal and the momentum goes our way, and we got so much more confident after we made that goal." 

Up to that point, the early going of the match was very evenly contested. The USF defense matched up well against the Broncos right out of the gate, not allowing the first Santa Clara shot until the 32nd minute. The Broncos (7-4-0, 0-1-0) picked up the pressure in their attacking third over the final 15 minutes of the first half, but the Dons' defense held firm. 

In the 37th minute, Santa Clara's Janae Gonzalez just missed tying the game when she took a pass in the box and quickly spun to her left and delivered a low rolling shot that rolled just wide of the far post. 

Coming out in the second half, the action was again mostly evenly matched. In the 57th minute, Micaela Mercado came up inches short of adding a crucial insurance goal for the Dons when her laser from 30 yards out tipped off Santa Clara keeper Andi Tostanoski's outstretched hands and just off the crossbar. 

However, unlike the first frame where each team took three shots apiece, Santa Clara quickly increased their offensive attack again and ended up outshooting USF 9-2 in the second half. The second half became more about stemming the tide for the Dons rather than mounting any kind of attack of their own. 

"We have such a great defense as a unit," said USF keeper Madalyn Schiffel. "We can score but we also need to hold it down in the back, and that's exactly what we did. There are going to be ebbs and flows in games, and when it does not go your way and they are having all these chances you just need to sit in, stay focused on the details and not let anything go in, and that's what we did today."

Schiffel, who collected five saves in the contest en route to her WCC-best seventh shutout of the season, did her part to hold off the Santa Clara momentum with a number of diving saves in the waning minutes. Altogether, USF's defensive unit consistently swarmed to shut down Santa Clara chances, rarely giving the Broncos a good look at the net. 

Of the Dons' five shots, four of them were on goal, while the Broncos had five of their 12 shots on frame. 

Santa Clara's offensive push was bolstered by their commanding 10-2 edge in corner kicks on the day.  

While the start to the WCC slate is off to a good start for the Dons, Millinder and his team will work to keep the victory in perspective as they turn their attention to their next opponent, Pepperdine, whom the Dons will host on Friday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. 

"I told the girls that it's awesome and it's the first time in our history, but it's one game," said Millinder. "It's a great result, but it's just one game in the bigger picture of what we're trying to do here."