Sept. 9, 2010
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By Pat Salvas
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - After opening the season with two home games, the UCF men's soccer team will travel to Wilmington, N.C., to play in the Courtyard by Marriott/UNCW Classic Friday and Saturday. In the first contest of the weekend, the Knights will take on the hosts from UNC-Wilmington Friday, Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. After a one-day layoff, the Black and Gold will be back on Sunday at noon as they take on the Blackbirds of Long Island.
UCF's first road test will come after two impressive wins at home to open 2010. Defeating Jacksonville, 5-0, and Florida Atlantic, 4-0, the Knights have yet to allow a goal through two games. The UCF defense was especially solid in the game with FAU, not allowing the Owls to record a shot on goal.
Head coach Bryan Cunningham will square off with two of his soccer mentors this weekend. Cunningham served as an assistant under UNCW's head coach Aiden Heaney and LIU head coach TJ Kostecky when both coached at Appalachian State in Boone, N.C. A four-year letterwinner, Cunningham also served as a three-year captain under Kostecky during his college career at Pfeiffer University. Kostecky and Cunningham combined for two Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference Championships and earned a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament while at Pfeiffer.
For his part in the two wins, Nicholas Keown-Robson was honored as the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week. Keown-Robson assisted on the first two UCF goals of the season and then added his first tally of the year for a four-point first half against the Dolphins. The sophomore from Aukland, New Zealand added two more goals in the win Monday against FAU, with both coming in the second half.
Keown-Robson was not the only player individually recognized for his season-opening performances. Junior Cameron Cooksey was named to the first TopDrawSoccer.com Men's Team of the Week of 2010. Cooksey scored twice and added an assist in just 49 minutes of play against Jacksonville. The five-point performance was a new career high for the third-year player from Marietta, Ga. UNC-Wilmington holds a record of 1-1entering Friday's game after a win against Binghamton, 1-0, and a loss to West Virginia, 3-2. The Seahawks are led early on by senior forward Nassim Berhouni and senior goalkeeper Brock Duckworth. Berhouni scored the Seahawks' lone goal against Binghamton, while Duckworth notched his 19th career shutout, moving him into second all time in the category at UNCW. The game will mark the fourth meeting between the Knights and Seahawks. The last time these two met was in 2006 with UNCW taking the 2-1 win.
UCF will then play Long Island on Sunday. LIU started the 2010 season 2-0 at home with wins against NJIT and Cornell. The Blackbirds are led in goals by senior forward Juan Lanza and junior defender Nik Conklin who each have two. The game ends an 11-year hiatus between contests for the two teams. The last time the Knights and Blackbirds squared off was in the 1999 season with UCF earning the 4-1 victory.
Winthrop will round out the four-team weekend tournament. The Eagles come into the weekend posting a 1-1 mark after defeating Brevard and falling to Mercer. UCF will not play Winthrop in this format as the Eagles will take on the Blackbirds Friday and the hosts from UNC-Wilmington Sunday afternoon.
The UCF's men soccer team will continue their five-game swing will continue with stops at UMass and Army before beginning C-USA play on Sept. 26 at Marshall.