Nov. 2, 2005
Box Score | Championship Central
HOUSTON - Roberta Pelarigo scored two goals as the UCF women's soccer team defeated Houston, 3-2, in game one of the Conference USA Women's Soccer Championship in Houston Wednesday afternoon. The Golden Knights improved to 12-9 on the season, while the Cougars ended their season at 8-7-3.
"I think that Houston fought very hard today and the game could have gone either way," said head coach Amanda Cromwell. "Now we have to get healthy for UTEP on Friday, our one conference loss during the season."
Pelarigo paced the team with two goals on three shots for a total of four points. Hanna Wilde was second on the squad with one goal on two shots.
Houston struck first in the 10th minute when Courtney Gaines sent a penalty kick past a diving Julie Snaman.
Pelarigo evened the score at one piece four minutes later when she netted her 12th goal of the season. Kate McCain earned the assist after she passed the ball to Pelarigo in the goalbox.
In the 16th minute, Wilde headed the ball in to gave UCF a 2-1 lead on a cross from Jennifer Montgomery.
With 54 seconds left in the first half, Sophia Mundy tied the score at two. Mundy sent the ball into the lower right corner of the net after Jessica Green passed to Kristin Bay who passed to Mundy.
At the end of the first half, UCF had outshot Houston, 6-3, while also holding a 2-1 advantage in corner kicks.
Pelarigo broke the 2-2 tie with 23 minutes to play in regulation when she headed a Jessalyn Withers pass into the net.
At the end of the 90 minutes, the Golden Knights had taken nine shots to the Cougars' seven, while Houston led in corner kicks, 4-2.
The Golden Knights return to the field Friday evening when the team takes on UTEP in the semifinal round of the 2005 Conference USA Women's Soccer Championship. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. eastern in Houston.