Oct. 25, 2010
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFathletics.com) - For a UCF men's soccer program that has made a major jump this season while authoring its longest unbeaten streak in 25 years and securing its most victories in six seasons, the secret of the success has been fairly basic and routine.
No. 23 UCF sits near the top of the Conference USA standings at 4-0-2, hasn't lost in the last eight games, has risen to No. 28 in the national RPI rankings and is in position to win the league's regular-season crown. Yet, the squad's sole focus is on Tuesday night's non-conference game against Stetson because it's the next game on the schedule.
To illustrate that point of emphasis, the word `STETSON' is scrawled across the dry-erase board in head coach Bryan Cunningham's office in green, block letters. And in the Knights' locker room, there are Stetson logos dotting the walls to remind players not to look beyond the task at hand. The whole ``one-game-at-a-time'' mantra is one of sports' biggest clichés, yet it has worked wonders this season for a UCF team that has big things that it wants to accomplish.
``(The Nov. 10 C-USA tournament) is not in the conversation at all. When we met with the players early in the year we were determined to take one game at a time. We stay focused,'' Cunningham said. ``Stetson is a massive RPI game for us, we're at home and we have to win. If you went to our locker room it would look like a Stetson locker room. We have Stetson Hatters stuff up all over the locker room for the players. We did that early in the year to keep the guys focused on one game at a time and keep them on level ground. And, for that matter, it's for the coaches, too.''
That strategy has worked well for a 9-2-2 Knights squad that just passed another major test in the season to prove that it is a legitimate threat to win UCF's first C-USA men's soccer title. Playing three road games in seven days, UCF rallied for ties at Kentucky and South Carolina in league games and then routed the ACC's Virginia Tech. That stretch pushed the Knights to 6-0-2 in the past eight games, its longest unbeaten stretch since going 5-0-3 in 1985.
``It hasn't been the easiest stretch with two conference powers and one ACC team, so to come out of there undefeated was pretty impressive,'' Cunningham said. ``Playing Virginia Tech was our third game in seven days - all on the road - and after being down in the prior two matches, we were focused on starting fast and not falling behind. We started out like gangbusters and we piled it on Virginia Tech. It's a great group of guys who believe they are going to win every match - even when we fall behind a goal.''
Falling behind a goal hasn't been a concern for UCF at home this season as the Knights have allowed just one goal - and that was to No. 5 SMU, whom the Knights beat for its only loss of the season. UCF is 5-0 at home with on-campus games remaining against Stetson (Tuesday), UAB (Friday) and North Florida (Nov. 2).
Defending home, along with focusing only on the next game ahead, was a major point of emphasis for the Knights, and they have followed through on that in a major way. Four of the five home victories have been by at least two goals. UCF was just 5-4 at home last season.
``What hasn't been perfect in the past was us taking pride and winning these games at home,'' said Cunningham, referring to UCF's usually perfect grass surface and weather conditions when playing at home. "So, all the credit to the players doing that now. It was one of their goals early in the season, making sure that we won at home and don't let people score on us. Hopefully we can keep that up.''
Sophomore Nik Robson, who has seven goals and eight assists, continues to rank in the top 15 nationally in four different categories. And he's gotten plenty of help of late from junior Warren Creavalle (tying goal at Kentucky and three goals in the last four games) and Spencer Scott(three goals and five assists).
Robson, a New Zealand native who made major improvements this season by working tirelessly all summer, has had to deal with being the focal point of opposing defenses of late. UCF used its time off the past week to try and find ways to free up Robson, a creative striker with both feet, for scoring opportunities.
UCF has already scored more goals this season (29) than all of last season (25) and there are still four games left to play. But the offensive output pales in comparison to the strides that the Knights have made defensively. In 11 games, the Knights have allowed just 10 goals - ranking them in the top 10 nationally and first among C-USA teams.
Goalkeeper Shawn Doyle, a sophomore from Fort Myers, has posted five shutouts and has 39 saves on the season.
``Scoring goals is great, but we've only conceded 10 goals. We started last spring focusing on defense because we felt that we gave up too many goals last year,'' Cunningham said. ``Coming into the fall this year the focus was on limiting opponents' opportunities. We're pleased with scoring, but we're more pleased with not giving up as many goals as we have in the past. That's kept this team's mentality right.''
And focusing solely on Tuesday's game against Stetson, rather Friday's key conference tilt versus UAB has kept the Knights' mentality on keeping the season on track. Not that there's not plenty to look forward to over the next two weeks. Only six teams make the C-USA tourney and the top two seeds get first-round byes, meaning the Knights must keep winning to help their positioning going into the postseason tourney that starts Nov. 10 in Memphis.
``We've got a tough stretch because Stetson is a big RPI game for us and UAB is a pivotal game in the conference and we're still fighting for that No. 1 seed in the league,'' Cunningham said. ``(The conference tournament) is still a couple of weeks down the line and behind us (in the standings) it's pretty knotted up as to who we might play. There are a lot of teams fighting for that top six and it'll un-jumble itself eventually. We just talk to our players about taking care of our own business one game at a time.''
====John Denton writes for UCFathletics.com. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.