Box Score
By Jenna Marina
UCFKnights.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - The No. 23 UCF women's soccer team began and ended its Friday night in celebration, and for good reason.
UCF's senior class led the Knights to their second-straight American Athletic Conference regular season championship with a 2-0 win over East Carolina on Senior Knight.
"We love being able to celebrate on our home field with our fans and the administration and all the coaches stopping by and saying congrats. It is really special to be able to celebrate here," UCF head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak said. "It was the perfect timing that it's Senior Knight and an opportunity for us to clinch first place. I love the way the team played tonight. They really exemplified everything we talk about. Their energy, their passion, their movement off the ball, the chances that they created, I couldn't be more proud of what this did team together and they did it as a team."
As the top seed in the conference tournament, UCF will host the first round and quarterfinal matches next weekend. The winner of the neutral-site contest between the No. 8 and 9 seeds at 4 p.m. on Oct. 31 will move on to face the Knights at 1 p.m. on Nov. 2. Tickets are now available for purchase.
With one regular season match still on the schedule, UCF clinched the title after improving to 7-1 in conference play. Tatiana Coleman, Alex Piercy, Kayla Darden, Carleigh Williams and Jennifer Martin were recognized prior to the match in a special ceremony, and the group ensured that their Senior Knight would be a memorable one.
"It's amazing honestly to be a part of this team. To be able to win this for my team in my last and final year, I can't even put it into words. It's just such a great feeling, we've worked so hard for this," Coleman said.
It was obvious what the Knights were playing for from the get-go. Junior midfielder Ashley Spivey broke through in the 8th minute after Piercy sent a ball to Coleman on the right side. She crossed it into the box for Spivey, who controlled it off her chest down to her foot and slipped it past the keeper from six yards away.
Coleman notched her 10th goal of the season in the 30th minute to give UCF a 2-0 lead after she was taken down in the box on a breakaway to bring up a penalty kick.
UCF maintained its edge and managed the game the rest of the way en route to its 11th shutout. Following the eighth unbeaten match at home this year, the team was presented with the trophy by UCF athletics director Todd Stansbury.
UCF will face Cincinnati in its regular season finale Sunday at 1 p.m. in the annual Pink game for breast cancer awareness month.
UCF soccer is presented by Napleton's Volkswagen. For more information on how to purchase tickets, visit UCFKnights.com or call 407-UCF-1000.