Over this past week, the UCF Knights sports world saw both of its soccer teams go unbeaten across their four combined matches, the women’s tennis team make its bid for NCAA Individual Championship spots and a cross country runner earn her place in the record books.
We also have our Knight of the Week and Play of the Week in this Monday, Oct. 20 edition of Knight Cap.
Women’s Soccer Wraps Road Trip Unbeaten
The UCF Women’s Soccer team concluded its three-match road trip with a win over Oklahoma
State, 2-1, and a draw with Houston, 1-1, to extend its unbeaten streak to six matches.
The Knights’ leading goal scorers, forwards Liz Worden and Rajanah Reed, both scored their fifth goals of the season in the 31st and 59th minutes, respectively, in their win over Oklahoma State on Thursday.
While goalkeeper Genesis Perez Watson let the Cowgirls’ only shot on goal past her for a goal in the 66th minute, UCF’s defense kept its other six shots from being on target.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Knights and Houston engaged in a closer offensive bout, with both teams getting three shots on target.
UCF midfielder Honoka Hamano picked up the Knights’ only goal of the night in the 14th minute with both Worden and Reed on the assist. It was Hamano’s fourth goal of the season.
The Cougars equalized in the 52nd minute thanks to forward Samira Minor sneaking an arcing shot past a retreating Perez Watson and into the net.
The draw allowed Kansas to once again pull into a tie with the Knights (9-2-4, 3-1-4 Big 12) at sixth place in the Big 12 standings with 13 points. The top eight teams in the Big 12 standings earn berths to the Big 12 tournament.
A tough test awaits UCF in its next match on Thursday at 7 p.m. as it returns home to face #10 Baylor for Senior Knight.
Men’s Soccer Extends Unbeaten Streak
The UCF Men’s Soccer team is now on a four-match unbeaten streak thanks to a commanding Senior Knight victory over Bradley, 5-1, and a draw against Old Dominion, 1-1.
The Knights poured it on Tuesday against Bradley, with forward Clarence Awoudor leading the way with a goal and two assists. He leads the entire nation in assists after the two-goal setups, with 11 on the year.
Forward Lilion Ricol opened the scoring early for UCF in the seventh minute. It was his fifth goal of the season, which leads the Knights.
Bradley did get one shot past goalkeeper Jaunvi Muñoz in the 43rd minute for the only score of the game.
Forward Drew Hansen closed out the first half with a goal in the 45th minute, his first goal of the season, and extended the Knights’ lead to two.
Midfielder Younes Boudinar and forward Malick Thiaw added on to the Knights’ lead in the second with goals in the 52nd and 56th minutes. UCF celebrated its seniors with a season-high five goals and a dominant victory.
UCF (5-5-2, 2-2-1 Sun Belt) then returned to Sun Belt play with a 1-1 draw against Old Dominion (5-5-3, 1-3-1 Sun Belt) on the road Saturday.
Thiaw got the game started with UCF’s only goal in the 14th minute. He caught a centering pass from forward Frederic Benedix and sent it past Old Dominion’s keeper for the score.
It was Thiaw’s fourth goal of the season, a personal best in the senior’s career.
UCF would give up its lone goal in the 25th minute. Muñoz kept Old Dominion in check in the second half, finishing with five saves on the night.
The Knights now find themselves in a tie for third in the Sun Belt standings with Georgia Southern and Kentucky at nine points. UCF takes on James Madison next on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in its annual Space Game.
Volleyball Drops Four-Set Match to Arizona
The UCF Volleyball team came up short against the Arizona Wildcats in four sets (24-26, 25-18, 20-25, 17-25) Friday evening, slipping to 2-5 in conference play.
Arizona opened the first set with a 6-0 run, but UCF rallied to tie it at 11-all and pushed the set to extra points before narrowly losing 26-24.
The Knights responded offensively to take the second set, recording 16 team kills, with outside hitter Skylar English contributing two aces.
The Wildcats regained momentum in the third set, jumping out to a 5-1 lead and maintaining control despite five UCF team blocks.
The fourth set remained one-sided, with no lead changes or tied scores, as the Knights were unable to close the gap — despite a 5-0 UCF run midway through the set.
Outside hitter Avah Armour led the Knights offensively with 15 kills. Defensively, UCF recorded 55 digs, with two players reaching double digits: libero Alexa Haley led with 14 digs, while defensive specialist Reese Moore added 10.
UCF looks for its third conference win on Wednesday against Houston (8-10, 1-6 Big 12) at 8 p.m.
Women’s Tennis Vies For NCAA Individual Tournament Spots
The UCF Women’s Tennis team hosted the ITA Southeast Regional Championships this week at the USTA National Campus.
The tournament marked the Knights’ first chances to earn spots in the NCAA’s fall tennis championships, with both singles finalists and the doubles champion earning berths. The furthest any UCF player made it was two doubles pairs, making it to the quarterfinals.
Sophomore Olivia Bergler and freshman Lauren Seye managed to take down #7-seed Emma Dong and Deniz Dilek of Georgia, 8-7 (7-3), but were ultimately knocked out by #2-seed, and #45 pair in the nation, Xinyi Nong and Nikola Daubnerova of Florida, 8-7 (7-0).
On the other side of the bracket, sophomore Jade Psonka and freshman Marina Gatell marked their run with an upset over #5-seed Valery Gynina and Lucie Pawlak of Florida, 8-3, and #10-seed Sofia Madrid and Ema Barianakova of Kennesaw State, 8-3, but fell to #9-seed Hayden Mulberry and Emily Deming of Georgia, 8-4.
In singles play, the furthest any Knight made it was the Round of 16, thanks to both Bergler and senior Jantje Tilburger. Both freshman, Seye and Gatell, won their opening matches but were knocked out by seeded opponents in the second round.
Psonka, meanwhile, had a more complicated route during singles play. She finished her weekend 2-1 in singles play, falling in her first-round match in the main draw, but getting wins in a qualifying draw match and a consolation draw match.
To see the full ITA Southeast Regional Championship brackets, click here.
The Knights will have one more chance to earn some NCAA Individual Championships spots at the ITA South Sectionals in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, from Nov. 6-9.
Cross Country Runner Enters Record Books in Illinois
The UCF Cross Country wrapped up the regular season on Friday at the Bradley Pink Classic.
The Knights were split between two different races, the White Race and the Red Race. They competed as a team in the Red race, coming in ninth place with 245 points.
Leading the way for UCF in the Red Race was sophomore Alexandra Raquet, who was the only UCF runner to finish in the Top 40 overall, coming in eighth. Her 20:47.55 marked the ninth-fastest 6K run in program history, though only her teammate Isabella Richardson (once) and UCF Hall of Famer Anne-Marie Blaney (seven times) have run faster times.
Meanwhile, in the White Race, senior Penelope Sosa picked up a Top 10 finish of her own, coming in 10th with a 22:30.15.
Check out the full results of the Bradley Pink Classic here.
The Knights next hit the course for the Big 12 Championship 6K in Lawrence, Kansas, on Halloween.
Knight of the Week
Alexandra Raquet, Cross Country
See Cross Country section.
Knights Play of the Week
Clarence Awoudor Scores On Free Kick, Men’s Soccer
On Tap This Week
Tuesday
- Men’s Basketball @ Duke (Exhibition) — 7 p.m. (ACC Network Extra)
Wednesday
- Men’s Soccer vs. James Madison — 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
- Volleyball @ Houston — 8 p.m. (ESPN+)
Thursday
- Women’s Soccer vs. #14 Baylor — 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Friday-Sunday
- Women’s Golf at Landfall Tradition
Friday
- Softball vs. Florida Tech — 5 p.m.
Saturday
- Volleyball vs. Texas Tech — 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
Sunday
- Men’s Basketball vs. LSU (Exhibition) — 12 p.m.
- Men’s Soccer @ Georgia State — 4 p.m. (ESPN+)