March 25, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF men's soccer team returns to action for the first time in three weeks on Friday, when it travels to nearby Winter Park, Fla., to face Rollins in a spring exhibition match. Kick-off is slated for 7 p.m. at Cahall-Sandspur Field at Barker Family Stadium. Admission to the match is free to the public and the stadium is located on the corner of Holt Avenue and Park Avenue in Winter Park.
"It's good to renew our rivalry with Rollins," UCF head coach Bryan Cunningham said. "[Rollins] Coach Keith Buckley and I made an agreement to get the series going again. We played them last spring and we are going to start playing them in the fall pre-season as well. They are a very well-coached team and are extremely organized. We are going to have to be patient, play our system and hope it pays off."
The Knights (0-1-3) are coming off a strong showing against Swedish First-Division team Malmo. UCF allowed just one goal in each half against one of the top teams in Sweden. The Knights have shown a renewed work-ethic and energy this spring, which has resulted in strong improvement from each of its players.
"Our team's work-ethic is very good," Cunningham said. "I am pleased with that, as well as our willingness to learn, which is a dramatic improvement from last season."
The match with Rollins marks the team's lone road contest of the 2008 spring slate. The Tars finished the 2007 campaign with a 10-6-2 record, including a 5-2-1 mark in Sunshine State Conference play. It marked the team's 10th consecutive season with 10 or more wins. Head coach Keith Buckley, a 1988 Rollins graduate, is a four-time Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year.
UCF leads the all-time series between the two teams 12-7-2, with the Knights claiming a 3-1 win last March at the UCF Soccer Complex. That contest meeting marked the first meeting between the two rivals since the 1994 campaign. The series dates back to the 1978 season and the rivalry flourished when the two schools were both members of the Sunshine State Conference from 1979-83.
UCF Adds Spring Match vs. Puerto Rico Islanders
UCF has added a match to its 2008 spring schedule, Cunningham announced on Tuesday. The Knights will square off with the Puerto Rico Islanders, an A League team at 12 p.m. on Monday, April 7 at the UCF Soccer Complex.
For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
UCF Men's Soccer Remaining Spring Schedule
March 28 at Rollins 7 p.m. Winter Park, Fla.April 7 Puerto Rico Islanders 12 p.m. Orlando, Fla.April 11 Warner Southern 7 p.m. Orlando, Fla.April 12 Alumni Game 11 a.m. Orlando, Fla.