ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – Less than five minutes into the second overtime period, two members of the senior-heavy UCF women's soccer team connected to deliver the game-winning goal. Kayla Adamek tipped a ball to Christine Creighton, who sent the game winner by a defender and the North Carolina goalkeeper and lifted UCF to a 2-1 victory over No. 4 UNC on Friday night at the UCF Soccer Complex.
"I love my team," head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak said. "They have amazing senior leadership right now. There is no ego on this team. They all understand their roles and they're all in it for each other."
The Knights (2-1) fell behind early, as UNC took a 1-0 lead in the third minute. Just 10 minutes later, Dina Orschmann, making her first start for the Knights, put herself in position to catch a blocked shot and send it in for the equalizer.
For the next 92 minutes, the teams played evenly. Both had opportunities. UNC had its game-winning goal waved off in the 82nd minute after the assistant referee flagged a Tar Heel as offside. UCF found itself with an opportunity in the first overtime session, but the UNC goalkeeper came out to stop Morgan Ferrara before she was able to get a shot.
With 5:28 remaining in the second overtime, UCF played a long ball that found itself at the feet of Adamek. She tipped it to Creighton, whose shot sailed perfectly by the North Carolina defense and into the net.
Tripping The Tar Heels
- UCF earned its first-ever win over North Carolina in program history.
- The Knights entered the match trailing 17-0-4 in the all-time series. The last time UCF earned an edge over UNC came in the third round of the 2011 NCAA tournament in Gainesville. The squads played to a draw after two overtime periods, and UCF advanced to the Elite Eight with a 5-4 edge in penalty kicks.
- Friday's win also marked the first time that UCF head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak earned a victory over her former head coach Anson Dorrance.
Sharing the Wealth
- In Friday's match, UCF netted a pair of goals from a pair of Knights.
- Both Dina Orschmann and Christine Creighton tallied their first goals of the season.
- All four of UCF's goals in 2017 have come from four different members of the squad.
The Knights head to Tempe, Ariz. For the Sun Devil Desert Classic. UCF will face Arizona on Sept. 1 and take on host Arizona State on Sept. 3.
DON'T MISS OUT
The UCF women's soccer team is set for its fifth season under head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak and will welcome six teams from the 2016 NCAA Tournament to the UCF Soccer Complex in 2017. Click here or call (407) 823-1000 for ticket information.
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Membership to Knights Watch, the official supporters group of UCF Soccer, begins at $15 for students and $50 for fans. Packages include tickets to all home contests for men's and women's soccer, a Knights Watch T-Shirt, a soccer scarf and a variety of free catered tailgates. To become a member, click here.
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