SAN FRANCISCO - With the scorching afternoon sun beating down for 110 minutes, the USF women's soccer team worked a scoreless draw with Boise State on Sunday at Negoesco Stadium. The searing conditions forced both coaches to keep a steady rotation of players coming in and out of the match to preserve stamina, especially for the Dons (6-2-3) who played their third contest this week after a 3-1 win at San Jose State this past Tuesday and a 2-0 loss to No. 13 Cal on Friday.

The weather may have contributed to the sluggish start both teams got out to in a first half that was played primarily in the middle third with neither team stringing together much momentum either way. There were only five shots taken in the first half combined - three by Boise State (2-4-3) and two by USF.

The Dons had a good chance to get on the board in the 16th minute when Samantha Jehnings and Sonja Giraud exchanged a nifty give-and-go inside the box that helped setup a right-footed rocket by Giraud that ricocheted off the right post and was cleared by the Boise State defense.     

Perhaps the best look of the first half came in the waning minutes of the period when Boise State's Brooke Heidemann had a run up the left wing where she weaved through the USF defense to dish it off to Hannah Smith waiting in front of the goal, but Smith's chip shot from about eight yards out sailed wide left by just a few feet, keeping the score at 0-0 heading into the half.

In what seemed like two completely different matches between the first and second halves, the Dons came out attacking in the second frame as Amanda Whittle put together one of her characteristic dribbles down the left side along the end line before slipping a pass into the box where Jehnings' shot from the top of the six-yard box was deflected away near the post.

USF wasn't alone in picking up the offensive attack in the second half. Boise State fired off nine shots in the second period, making the Dons' defense have to buckle down. On one chance in the 77th minute, Allegra Weeks broke free inside the box during a mess of activity after a Bronco corner kick, but Weeks found herself face-to-face with USF defender Leticia Torres, who locked on and poked the ball out of harm's way to shut down the chance.  

Boise State outshot USF by a 6-9 margin in the second half and 12-9 overall in the match with five shots on goal to USF's three.

Both overtime periods were relatively quiet, likely due to the creeping fatigue each team had to battle, with USF recording the only shot of overtime as the contest wound down to its final 0-0 draw.

This was the second scoreless draw for the Dons this season after opening the season with one against Cal Poly.

Madalyn Schiffel picked up five saves in goal for the Dons en route to her WCC-best seventh shutout of the year. Janelle Flores had three saves for the Broncos.

Giraud, Jehnings, and Jessica Nakae each had two shots for USF, with one shot on frame apiece.

The Dons have now completed nonconference play and look forward to opening the WCC slate with a road contest at Santa Clara on Oct. 4 at 1 p.m.