Oct. 2, 2009
By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (UCFAthletics.com) - The No. 21 UCF women's soccer team had four players score goals to hand Marshall (9-2-0, 2-1-0) just its second loss of the season in a 4-1 victory Friday in West Virginia. With the win, the Knights jumped to 7-3-1 on the year and 2-1-0 in Conference USA.
"Katie Jackson was definitely a sparkplug for us off the bench with a goal and an assist," said head coach Amanda Cromwell. "Lynzee Lee also played well for us in net and we just had a couple of defensive errors on Marshall's goal. They are a good, physical team which has done well this year. Playing on the road is never easy so I'm happy we were able to get the win."
UCF wrapped up the evening by outshooting Marshall, 19-5, its most attempts since posting 20 shots in the season-opening win over Florida Gulf Coast Aug. 21. Only senior Becca Thomas (six shots) had at least two, as 14 of the 17 Knights who saw action (besides the keeper) notched one apiece.
Lee got the start in net for the Black and Gold and improved her record to 3-0-1 thanks to a pair of saves.
"Marshall was very good in the first 30 minutes, and they really crowded up the middle of the field," said associate head coach Colby Hale. "They had a lot of fight after they tied it early in the first half, but our second goal deflated them a bit. It was a very physical game and as it progressed we were able to wear them down with our depth. We used 18 of 20 players and that was once again big for us tonight."
Both teams traded goals early in the match, with freshman Alex Brandt scoring her first collegiate marker in the 10th minute on a shot from the top of the box. Less than two minutes later though, Erika Duncan evened it up with her fifth of the year for the Thundering Herd.
UCF tried to respond by taking five of the next six shots but it remained scoreless until late in the half. After an attempt towards the net by junior Lauren Halbert was blocked in front, Jackson took a pass from senior Yvonne George and put it in from just a few yards out in the 39th minute. The Knights' next shot also hit the mesh, as freshman Bianca Joswiak scored her first in a UCF uniform in the 41st minute to give her team a 3-1 cushion entering the break.
Already holding a 10-3 advantage in shots, the Knights would not let up in the second half, finishing with a 9-2 margin in the final frame. And their last run at the net resulted in another goal when junior Amanda Martorana sealed it up in the 79th minute with her second of the 2009 campaign.
UCF will conclude its road trip with a Sunday tilt at East Carolina at 1 p.m. It will be back home Friday, Oct. 9, against UTEP at 7 p.m.
"The ECU game is always a battle," said Cromwell. "The field is very narrow and they always play well defensively and make it hard for us to make plays. They are a solid team with dangerous players up top as well. It will be tough for us to get a road win there."
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to 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 UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
Postgame Notes
UCF (7-3-1, 2-1-0) - 4
Marshall (9-2-0, 2-1-0) - 1
Goals: UCF Alex Brandt (1) 10th, MAR Erika Duncan (5) 12th, UCF Katie Jackson (3) 39th, UCF Bianca Joswiak (1) 41st, UCF Amanda Martorana (2) 79th
-With freshmen Alex Brandt and Bianca Joswiak scoring vs. Marshall, UCF now has 10 different players with goals and 17 different Knights with at least one point.
-Freshman Tishia Jewell picked up an assist on Brandt's goal in the first half. It was Jewell's second helper of 2009.
-Katie Jackson tallied an assist on the goal by Joswiak, giving Jackson her first three-point game since last year at Tulsa. Kim Newsome also received an assist on Joswiak's marker.
-The five shots allowed by the Knights were the second-lowest by an opponent. Earlier in the year UCF held USF to four shots in a 1-0 win Sept. 13.
-UCF remained undefeated against Marshall, moving its all-time record vs. the Thundering Herd to 5-0-0.
-In those five matches, the Knights have outscored Marshall 19-1, as Friday's goal by Erika Duncan was the Thundering Herd's first against UCF. The Black and Gold has notched four goals in each of the last four meetings.