Sept. 2, 2011
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By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - A pair of first-half goals by sophomore striker McKauly Tulloch sparked the No. 16 UCF men's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Massachusetts Friday at the UCF Soccer Complex. The Knights bumped their record up to 2-0-0 while the Minutemen fell to 0-2-0 on the young season.
UCF finished the match with an 8-5 lead in shots, and keeper Shawn Doyle posted two saves for the shutout win.
A slow start for both teams changed quickly in the 22nd minute when the UCF attack began to find its rhythm in a big way. With possession in the left corner, Leonardo Ayala delivered a cross to the front of the goalmouth, setting up an easy tap in for McKauly Tulloch past keeper Brian Frame.
Moments later, the Black and Gold doubled up the Minutemen in the 29th minute. Looking like a harmless opportunity, Kevan George chipped a pass towards the top of the 18 but UCF played it perfectly, where Tulloch waited for the right moment to crush a shot into the far right corner.
Massachusetts had a golden chance to cut into its deficit, however Clifton Kipper's shot from 25 yards out was turned aside by a diving Doyle in the 40th minute.
UCF had little trouble holding its lead in the second half, which featured three yellow cards from the 63rd minute to the 65th minute, and two more in a 33-second span. But it was the home team's backline that did not permit UMass to light up the scoreboard for the full 90 minutes.
The Knights will close out the weekend Sunday when they host Belmont at 7 p.m.