Oct. 31, 2006
IRVING, Texas (www.ucfathletics.com) - Five UCF women's soccer players received All-Conference USA honors, the league announced on Wednesday. Senior forward Roberta Pelarigo (Sao Paulo Brazil) and sophomore midfielder Hanna Wilde (Westlake, Ohio/Westlake HS) garnered first-team all-conference status, while junior goalkeeper Jennifer Manis (Pensacola, Fla./Washington HS) and freshman defender Nikki Moore (Virginia Beach, Va./Cape Henry Collegiate School) were named to the all-conference second team. Moore was also selected to the all-freshman team along with midfielder Becca Thomas (Burlington, Wash./Homeschooled).
A preseason all-conference honoree, Pelarigo earned a spot on the All-C-USA first team for the second consecutive year. She lead the Golden Knights' offense with eight goals - including four game-winners - and five assists for 21 points and tops all C-USA players after recording 17 points against league opponents. After scoring three goals in the weekend series at Rice and Houston, Pelarigo was named National Soccer Coaches Association National Player of the Week.
Wilde, who saw time in all 18 of UCF's matches captured her first postseason award after putting up for 10 points on four goals and two assists. She netted three game-winning goals with consecutive game-deciding tallies against Florida International and Florida Atlantic.
Starting all 18 matches in goal for the Golden Knights, Manis made 67 saves and posted a 1.03 overall goals-against-average (GAA) with four shutouts. She is currently ranked third among conference keepers with a 0.76 GAA in league contests. A two-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Week, Manis earned a spot on the Soccer America National Team of the Week after allowing a goal in the weekend series at Rice and Houston.
Moore played in all of the team's 18 matches, missing only one start, and helped anchor a UCF defense that earned five shutouts and posted a 1.02 GAA. She notched her first collegiate point as an assist on Wilde's goal at Houston.
Thomas is second on the team in scoring with four goals and two assists for 11 points while playing in 16 matches. She recorded her first multiple-point outing at Houston, recording two goals and an assist, and netted the game-winning goal against UC-Santa Barbara.
The Golden Knights (11-5-2, 7-1-1 C-USA) secured the No. 2 seed in the 2006 Conference USA Tournament, where they square off against No. 7 seed UAB (6-11-0, 4-5-0 C-USA) on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 6:30 p.m. ET.
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