Oct. 25, 2009
By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
TULSA, Okla. (UCFAthletics.com) - For the third time in five seasons in Conference USA, the No. 11 UCF women's soccer team earned at least a share of the C-USA regular-season championship when it defeated Tulsa on the road Sunday, 2-1. The Knights will now go for their first outright regular-season conference title since winning the Atlantic Sun in 2001 when they host Southern Miss in the finale Friday at 7 p.m.
"This conference has gotten better every year and the level of play in each game is tremendous," said head coach Amanda Cromwell, who is in her 11th season at UCF. "So it says a lot about this team to fight through these games and figure out ways to win. Clinching the conference championship is huge, but we don't want to share anything. So our mentality is that we aren't going to talk about it. We didn't even mention it to the players after the game because we feel like our work is not done until Friday."
UCF improved its record to 14-3-1 on the season and 9-1-0 in C-USA, setting the program record for most C-USA wins since joining the league in 2005. The victory over the Golden Hurricane (7-9-2, 4-6-0) also was the Knights' eighth-straight win, their longest winning streak since a nine-game stretch in 2001.
The Knights' eight-straight wins over C-USA opponents is just one shy of the school record for most consecutive conference wins (the 2001 and 2003 teams won nine-straight Atlantic Sun matches).
Sophomore keeper Aline Reis amassed five more saves for the victory. She now has 165 career saves in two seasons with the Knights, as she is just one stop shy of tying for fifth on the UCF all-time list.
UCF had some quality scoring chances in the first half, including a shot off the crossbar from senior Courtney Whidden in the 27th minute. However just like Friday's win at SMU, the match remained scoreless going into the break.
As it started to get late in the second, it took a veteran senior to give UCF the lead. In the 66th minute, Emily Maynard registered her first goal of the year by putting in a cross from junior Kim Newsome. Maynard became the 14th different player to score for the Knights in 2009.
Less than 10 minutes later, UCF received a crucial penalty-kick opportunity when sophomore Katie Jackson was fouled in the box and she took advantage, scoring her fourth goal of the season. That proved to be valuable as Tulsa ruined the shutout bid when Shannon Locke put the Golden Hurricane on the board in the 88th minute.
One more regular-season match remains for the Black and Gold, as it will host Southern Miss Friday at 7 p.m. for Senior Night. Admission to the UCF Soccer Complex is free.
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, and become a follow of the Knights at Twitter.com.
Postgame Notes
No. 11 UCF (14-3-1, 9-1-0) - 2
Tulsa (7-9-2, 4-6-0) - 1
Goals: UCF Emily Maynard (1) 66th, UCF Katie Jackson (4) 74th, TULSA Shannon Locke (2) 88th
-UCF outshot its opponent for the 12th-straight time, finishing with a 14-13 edge in shots vs. Tulsa. It also led in corner kicks, 8-2.
-The Knights have already tied their win total from last year's team which went to the NCAA Tournament Second Round.
-The 14 wins also mark the eighth time in 11 seasons under head coach Amanda Cromwell that UCF posted 14 victories or more.
-While UCF has won eight-consecutive games, it has claimed four-straight wins by one goal, marking the first time in school history the Knights have one four games in a row by one goal.
-The Knights improved to 4-0-1 all-time against Tulsa.
-Emily Maynard led all players with four shots, while Courtney Whidden completed her afternoon with three.