Sept. 5, 2010
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By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
| UCF vs.VCU Sept. 5, 2010 |
| From Orlando, Fla. | |||||
| Team | 1 | 2 | F | ||
| VCU | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
| UCF | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
VCU Goals: Breiana White 3rd min
UCF Goals: Kim Newsome 21st min, Kristina Trujic 44th min, Tishia Jewell 78th min, Andrea Rodrigues 87th min
In Net
VCU Megan Lynch: 90:00 min, 4 GA, 4 SV
UCF Jaclyn Meade: 90:00 min, 1 GA, 3 SV
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Four different Knights scored goals as UCF erased an early 1-0 deficit to defeat Virginia Commonwealth, 4-1, on a steamy Sunday afternoon at the UCF Soccer Complex. It was the third-straight victory for the Black and Gold, which improved to 3-1-0 on the season.
"We didn't have any video on VCU so our players had that feeling of not knowing what to expect," said head coach Amanda Cromwell. "They just came off a win over Stetson, and their coach is a former National Team player, so we knew they were going to be a good team. But you never want to give up a goal in the first five minutes of a game. I think it might have been due to our legs from Friday night when we went to overtime and eventually won an emotional match at South Florida. Some of our players were drained mentally."
UCF outshot VCU (2-2-1), 21-7, with Nicolette Radovcic leading the way with five attempts. Tishia Jewell and Kim Newsome each registered a goal and an assist, while Katie Jackson collected a pair of assists. Jaclyn Meade started in net and finished with three saves for her second victory on the weekend.
The Rams seized control very early and put a shot on goal in the opening seconds. But it was the second attempt that put the visitors on top. Thanks to a turnover by the UCF backline, Breiana White gained possession in the box and quickly hit the back of the net to give VCU A 1-0 lead in the third minute.
That goal forced UCF to raise its game, and it began to control the rest of the half, and finally one of the Black and Gold's opportunities paid off in the 21st minute. Defender Ashley Nicol found herself alone at midfield and sent a pass over to Jackson. The midfielder then found Newsome open on the left side and the senior sprinted into the box and beat keeper Megan Lynch into the far right-corner to even things up at 1-1.
But the Knights were not satisfied with the score tied up going into halftime. In the 44th minute, Nicol once again found Jackson as the UCF offense put the VCU backs on their heels. This time Jackson went to Katy Ling who was 1-on-1 with the keeper to the left of the net. The freshman from England had a better angle to send a cross over, where Kristina Trujic outran a VCU defender to the ball and flicked in her first goal of her UCF career.
At halftime, the Knights did not head back to the locker room, but instead last year's squad was honored as they received their Conference USA championship rings.
Following the presentation, the temperature continued to climb throughout the match and it affected both teams in the second half. However the Knights' attack kept at it as it hoped for an insurance goal. And it would indeed get that crucial goal in the 78th minute. While Lynch maintained possession in the box for VCU, Jewell was the only Knight close to the keeper. The forward wanted to force Lynch into making a mistake and the plan worked as Jewell promptly stole the ball at the keeper's feet and easily delivered her second goal of 2010.
Yet that would not be the last goal for UCF. A perfect throw in by Newsome traveled near the box where Jewell headed it behind her to the front of the net. Andrea Rodrigues was in the right spot as she headed it into the left side of the net, past a diving Lynch for the Knights' fourth and final goal of the afternoon.
UCF will turn its attention to Friday and its final home non-conference game, as it will host 2009 Ivy League champion Harvard at 7 p.m. The Knights will then head to Tallahassee to meet Florida State Sunday, Sept. 12, at 1 p.m.