Sept. 16, 2011
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By Doug Richards
UCFAthletics.com
FAIRFAX, Va. (UCFAthletics.com) - Playing as a top-10 nationally ranked squad for the first time in program history, the No. 8 UCF men's soccer team remained unbeaten on the year Friday as the Knights' contest at George Mason ended in a 1-1 draw at George Mason Stadium. The Knights (5-0-1) tied the match at the 29-minute mark when sophomore McKauly Tulloch (Kingston, Jamaica) scored.
"Getting a result like that on the road is not a bad thing. George Mason is a very good team. They were well organized. I am proud of our guys. We went down a goal, and came back on the road. We had some chances, but they just didn't materialize," UCF head coach Bryan Cunningham said.
With the tie, the Patriots moved to 2-2-2 on the year. The contest was played in front of 1,933 fans.
George Mason grabbed a 1-0 lead 20 minutes into the opening half when Leo Stolz headed in a goal. The Knights answered when Tulloch tallied his ninth goal of the year. Junior Nik Robson (Auckland, New Zealand) assisted on the score, which Tulloch slipped in from five yards out, on a free kick.
Robson attempted to score at the 103-minute mark, but his shot was high. Two minutes later the Patriots tried to escape with the win, but UCF junior Shawn Doyle stopped Timmy Mulgrew's header attempt.
Doyle finished with three saves. He was one of six Knights who logged all 110 minutes.
The physical contest featured 32 total fouls.
"Both teams came to play," Cunningham said. "Both teams played good soccer. It got physical, but both teams were up to task."
The contest was the first of two this weekend for the Knights in the mid-Atlantic region. UCF will face American Saturday in Washington, D.C.
Earlier in the week, UCF entered the top-10 in both major national polls for the first time. The Knights are listed at No. 8 by Soccer America, and No. 10 by the NSCAA.
UCF's tilt at American will start at 4 p.m. The team's next home match is slated for Sept. 23 against Florida Gulf Coast.