Aug. 18, 2006
ORLANDO - After a week-long training camp at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., the UCF men's soccer team returns to Orlando to take on Division II opponent Tampa in its final preseason match on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at the UCF Soccer Complex.
With 19 newcomers joining the squad this season, the Golden Knights took advantage of their week away from distractions to concentrate getting to know one another and the game of soccer.
"This is a brand new team," said UCF head coach Brent Erwin. "To able to go to IMG Academy was a priceless experience for us because the players and staff had the chance learn about each other both on the field and off."
Picked as one of the 48 teams in TopDrawerSoccer.com 's Preseason Men's Tournament National Ranking, UCF also earned some valuable in-game experience. The Golden Knights tied St. Leo, 2-2, behind two goals by junior midfielder Rafael Teixeira on Aug. 14 before dropping a hard-fought 1-0 decision to USF on Aug. 16. Sophomore Marcus Rein played in goal for both matches.
After a week away, the UCF players are looking forward to playing in front of a home crowd against UT and recognize the match as a final opportunity to fine tune their game plan prior to the season opener at Wake Forest.
"We really needed another chance for game competition, so we can be better prepared for our upcoming schedule," said Erwin. "We hope to have more of our normal lineup, but we also don't want to risk the health of our starters. The game against Tampa will still allow the fans to see how we're coming together and watch us play a very good opponent."
The Golden Knights open the regular season on Aug. 25 at the Wake Forest Invitational, where they face the Demon Deacons and North Carolina.