Nov. 11, 2007
EL PASO, Texas (www.ucfathletics.com) - In a meeting between the two regular-season co-champions, the UCF women's soccer team dropped a 2-0 decision to Memphis in the Conference USA Championship final Sunday in El Paso, Texas. The Knights (14-4-3) will now have to wait until Monday at 8 p.m. to see if they will receive an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. The selection show is set to be televised on ESPNews.
UCF's loss ended a four-match winning streak for the Knights, as Memphis (17-3-1) won its first C-USA tournament title. Senior Jennifer Manis did post four saves for the Black and Gold, while junior Hanna Wilde led the team with three shots.
Both programs entered Sunday's final without surrendering a goal in their first two matches of the tournament. Memphis was firing on all cylinders, posting a 6-0 win in the first round vs. No. 7 Southern Miss and a 1-0 shutout over No. 3 UTEP in the semifinals. In those games, the Tigers outshot their opponents by a combined 58-11 margin. Conversely, UCF was outshot 34-18 in its two games but scored three goals en route to the finals.
In the title match, it was the defense that stepped up in the first half as neither team could get on the board before intermission. The Tigers did hold a 6-4 edge in the shot department and a 4-0 cushion in corner kicks. Sophomore Becca Thomas was credited with UCF's lone shot on goal, which came in the 19th minute, and Wilde had a shot from the left side that clanked off the post. Manis finished the half with two saves.
Memphis' offense began to pressure UCF early in the second half and put the ball in the box numerous times, but could not get a good look at the net. Eventually in the 72nd minute, the Tigers gained possession just outside of the box, and Laura Laufenberg sent a pass over to Vendula Strnadova, who ripped a shot from 25-30 yards that hit the top right corner.
UCF attempted to return the favor following the goal, earning two corner kicks before the 80th minute. However, Memphis put the game away in the 87th minute as Ashley Berra scored on a 2-on-1 breakaway.
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