ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - The Knights will be back in action Thursday, as they host the Miami Hurricanes for an Exhibition at the UCF Soccer Complex at 7 p.m. Admission will be free and fans will have an opportunity to meet the players following the game.
UCF Soccer, presented by Napleton Volkswagen, features 11 returning players who clocked time in at least 10 matches last year. Among the returners are American Athletic Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year Carol Rodrigues and all-conference picks Kayla Adamek (first team) and Vera Varis (rookie team; all-tournament team).
The Knights recently received votes in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America preseason poll for the fifth-straight season and were projected to finish third in the American Athletic Conference coaches poll. Head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak was not surprised by the rankings but said the team has high expectations.
"It's a very competitive conference," Roberts Sahaydak said. "We'll take third, but our players will definitely use this as motivation going into the season."
Miami returns seven starters for 2016, a group that accounted for 66 percent of the teams scoring in last season, as the Hurricanes look to bounce back from a 5-12 record in 2015.
The two teams met last season in Coral Gables, Fla. on Aug. 30. After Miami erased a 3-0 deficit in the 87th minute, it took two extra sessions before senior Ashley Spivey netted the game-winner, lifting the Knights to a 4-3 win with 6:33 minutes left in double overtime.
Knight's season tickets are just $30 and include one general admission ticket to all regular season home matches and a UCF soccer scarf. Visit http://ucfknights.co/WsoccerTix or call 407-UCF-1000 for more information.
