Oct. 30, 2009
By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
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UCF's women's soccer season has been defined by one success after another, what with the team clinching at least a share of the Conference USA regular-season crown, several Goliath-sized slayings and the squad's first eight-game winning streak in eight years.
So how is it, you might wonder, that coach Amanda Cromwell thinks the most important moment of the season was during a loss? Sometimes to get to the top, you have to hit bottom first.
It was early in the season, and even after a 4-0 defeat to national powerhouse North Carolina, Cromwell just knew that big things were ahead for her team. UCF battled the nation's best team throughout that game, just missing on a couple of chances to score. And Cromwell didn't have to wait long to see just how much that UNC loss meant to the Knights.
``That North Carolina game was a key to the season. Even though we lost that game, we got better that night,'' Cromwell said. ``We learned a lot about some of our players that night. That game really made our girls tough.
``Going into that Duke game (two days later), we were down in the first half, but we weren't worried and didn't go into a shell,'' Cromwell continued, referring to UCF's 3-2 defeat of the Blue Devils. ``That weekend was key for us and tested us against some of the best teams in the country.''
Now, on the verge of tonight's Senior Night at home against Southern Miss, UCF (14-3-1 overall and 9-1 in Conference USA play) has already locked up sole possession of the league's regular-season crown thanks to Memphis' loss Thursday night. A victory will give UCF a school record for conference wins.
But already the Knights have their goals on bigger and better things. UCF desperately wants to win next week's league tournament in Dallas, something that would secure an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament and increase UCF's odds of hosting the first two rounds.
``It's on everybody's mind that we want that conference tournament and we talk about it every day,'' said senior Courtney Whidden, who has team highs in goals (eight) and points (21). ``Then, we want to get beyond the Sweet 16 in the NCAAs and exceed everybody's expectations.''
Cromwell said one of the things she likes most about this team is that it has never shied away from the expectations put upon it before the season ever started. Cromwell purposely arranged a tough early-season schedule, knowing it would test her team against some of the nation's best talent.
That strategy paid off when UCF emerged from the North Carolina loss by beating Duke, Florida State and South Florida and tying SEC power LSU. And the Knights breezed through the C-USA slate, losing only 1-0 to Memphis.
``They're funny because more than any other year this group wants those expectations on them,'' Cromwell said. ``Everything is attainable and there are no pie-in-the-sky dreams. Our goal was to go undefeated in conference and we came close. We know we have the talent to win the conference tournament. We've basically seen it all and it's exciting to think about the next couple of weeks.''
After tonight's season-finale against Southern Miss - one sure to be filled with tears for the seven seniors led by Whidden and Yvonne George - all the focus shifts to the conference tournament. Already holders of a first-round bye, UCF needs to win twice in Dallas to claim the conference tournament crown, which would be a first in C-USA play. That, UCF feels, would back up its solid regular-season play and provide the momentum needed for a deep run in the NCAA tournament.
``Winning the regular season is huge because we get championship rings, but the tournament is even more important because of the automatic bid to the NCAAs,'' said George, a Winter Springs native who has three goals and three assists on the season. ``It's very important we have that (bid), so that's our number one focus now.''
John Denton's Knights Insider appears several times a week on UCFathletics.com. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.