Sept. 5, 2008
STOCKTON, Calif. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Redshirt freshman Aline Reis amassed 10 saves to spark the No. 29 UCF women's soccer team to a 1-0 win at Pacific Friday. Junior Becca Thomas scored the match's lone goal on a penalty kick vs. the Tigers (2-3-0), enabling the Knights (3-1-0) to claim their third-consecutive 1-0 decision.
"We didn't play our best, but we are finding ways to grind out some wins," said head coach Amanda Cromwell. "Pacific is definitely a quality defensive team and they moved the ball up well. But Amaka Ofuani and Christina Petrucco played great in the center back and helped us keep the shutout in tact. We just have to be more consistent for the full 90 minutes, and know that we cannot show up for only 45 minutes and glide through the rest of the game."
For Cromwell, it was her 150th career victory in 12 seasons as a collegiate coach. It also was UCF win No. 130 in the 10 years she has been at the helm of the program.
In her last three games, Reis accumulated 21 saves and improved her shutout streak to 294:50 dating back to Aug. 25 against No. 4 Florida State. While Friday's shot total favored Pacific, 17-3, UCF finished with a 5-1 margin in corner kicks and committed just six fouls.
Thomas may have been the first to place a shot on net, which keeper Amanda McNab turned aside in the sixth minute, but it was Pacific who strode out to a 7-1 overall lead in shots. Four of those found there way on goal and Reis was there for each one of them to rack up four quick saves.
With the first-half still scoreless, the Knights earned a corner kick in the 31st minute, and an eventual foul in the box provided the Black and Gold with its first penalty kick since 2006. It was all set up by Nikki Moore sprinting down the right side and sending in a cross to Stacie Hubbard, who drew the foul by a Pacific defender. Seconds later, Thomas made quick work of it. The goal was her second of the season and put UCF up at the break, 1-0.
Hoping to turn in their chances into a goal, the Tigers came out after halftime by reeling off five unanswered shots. However, they were just more opportunities for Reis to build her save count. Freshman Katie Jackson ended that stretch by Pacific with a shot on net in the 83rd minute, forcing McNab to make her second save of the night.
Reis needed to make two more saves to secure the shot, the first in the 86th minute against Laura Hogan and the final stop vs. Laura King with 19 seconds remaining in the contest.
The Knights remain in California to battle UC Davis Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, while they return home for three-straight matches beginning Sept. 12.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to www.UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit www.UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
Postgame Notes
No. 29 UCF 1 - (3-1-0, Becca Thomas 31st minute on PK)
Pacific 0 - (2-3-0, no scoring)
-Friday marked the first time UCF and Pacific met on the soccer field.
-Becca Thomas' penalty-kick goal was UCF's first PK attempt and conversion since Roberta Pelarigo's tally vs. UAB Oct. 8, 2006.
-It also was Thomas' second-career PK goal, as she converted a chance on Oct. 6, 2006, against Memphis.
-Jennifer Manis recorded UCF's longest shutout streak of 2007, going 454:52 minutes at one point without allowing a goal.
-The 1-0 win marked the first time in program history UCF posted 1-0 victories in three-straight matches (also defeated No. 19 Florida and Hartford).
-Pacific's Laura King finished with a game-high seven shots, five of which were on net.