Oct. 3, 2012
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By Doug Richards
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Thanks to a penalty kick goal from Deshorn Brown, the UCF men's soccer team opened Conference USA play Wednesday with a 1-0 victory over FIU at the UCF Soccer Complex. With the triumph over FIU, who entered the match with only one loss on the season, the Knights (4-3-2, 1-0-0 C-USA) picked up their second-straight shutout victory.
After being fouled inside the box, Brown beat FIU (6-2-2, 0-1-1) keeper Robin Spiegel on the penalty kick in the 64th minute. The goal was Brown's eighth of the year. The forward has now scored in six-consecutive games.
"We played really well in the first half, but didn't finish any of our chances," UCF head coach Bryan Cunningham said. "FIU has been on a roll. They are coming in here with a lot of confidence. In the second half, I thought we controlled the game for the most part and created a nice scoring chance. We were able to put it away and get another shutout."
FIU had nine shots in the opening half compared to five for the hosts. For the game, the Panthers had 17 shots, with UCF posting 11 shots. FIU only mustered a pair of shots on goal and UCF's Sebastian Evers stopped both attempts.
Brown nearly added an insurance goal late, but Spiegel stopped his shot with just under six minutes to play.
The Knights had some great scoring looks in the first half, including a chance with just under two minutes left when A.J. Nelson found Justin White with a great cross inside the box. White fired toward the goal, but Spiegel made a diving save. Fifteen minutes earlier, Omar Vallejo nearly put UCF up 1-0, but his shot from just outside the box hit the post.
UCF was playing the first of four C-USA home matches. The Knights are in their final campaign in C-USA as the program will move to the BIG EAST in 2013.
The Knights will return to the road this weekend as they will face host South Carolina Sunday at 3:30 p.m.