Nov. 6, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF men's soccer team will conclude both regular season and Conference USA play Friday night when it plays at South Carolina at 7 pm. The Knights will be looking to post a new school record for conference victories with a win against the Gamecocks.
While Tulsa has already wrapped up the regular season championship and the top seed in next week's C-USA Tournament, the game between UCF and USC has important seeding implications. With a victory, the Knights will clinch the third seed in the tournament, while a loss could drop UCF to as low as seventh.
"It is a huge game for us," said head coach Bryan Cunningham. "For such a young team to have a chance to get third in the conference would be a great feat for us. We are looking forward to a challenge from a very strong South Carolina team."
UCF enters Friday also looking to end a five-game slide. The Knights last victory came Oct. 11, 2008, when UCF defeated UAB 1-0 at home. During the streak, the squad has played well defensively and has lost three games by just one goal.
Freshman Kevan George (Decatur, Ga.) leads the squad with four goals while Yaron Bacher (Atlanta, Ga.) tops the Knights with three assists and 42 shots. Sophomore keeper Sean Johnson (Lilburn, Ga.) has continued his strong play in net and is currently first in C-USA in saves (90) and saves per game (5.63). His saves per game also rank him 12th nationally.
USC's Sam Arthur leads the conference in goals (11) and points (25) while goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer is first in save percentage and second in goals against average (0.77).
The Gamecocks lead the all-time series with the Knights 4-1-2. Last year in Orlando, the two teams played to a 0-0 double-overtime tie.
"I know the players are up for it and will be ready to go," said Cunningham. "Both teams recruit well in the Atlanta area so many of our players have played against their players. With my having coached at South Carolina, I have a lot of respect for my mentor, [South Carolina head coach] Mark Berson, and the job that he does."
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.