Freshman midfielder Taylor Madigan’s second collegiate goal was the difference in Marquette’s 2-1 victory at South Florida on Friday night as the Golden Eagles opened Big East play on the right foot.

Madigan’s goal came nearly five minutes after the Bulls’ Taylor Patterson deflected a Venecia Reid cross to tie the game at 1-1.

The win improved the Golden Eagles — who outshot USF 12-6 — to 4-3-2 overall (1-0 Big East), while the Bulls fell to 5-2-1 (0-1 Big East) on the season.

Senior forward Ashley Bares scored Marquette’s first goal just 13 minutes into the game after senior midfielder Rosie Malone-Povolny nearly finished a corner kick from senior defender Lauren Thut. It was Bares’ first goal of the season and 15th of her career.

The win marked the fifth time in six games that Marquette has beaten USF since joining the Big East in 2005.

It also improved the Golden Eagles’ record to 12-2-1 all-time against the Bulls.

Marquette will return home to Valley Fields Thursday night for its Big East home opener against West Virginia at 7 p.m.

The Mountaineers took down No. 5 Virginia, 1-0, on Sunday afternoon, to improve to 4-3 overall.