TULSA, Okla. (UCFKnights.com) – In the 87th minute, UCF senior Javier Clavijo scored from in tight to equalize the match, 2-2, Saturday night at Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane secured the conference match by scoring 27 seconds later to hand the Knights a 3-2 loss.
"I felt that our players played really well tonight in spots, but unfortunately, we gave Tulsa a window of opportunity and they took it," head coach Bryan Cunningham said. "We have to learn from this, move on and get ready for Stetson."
MAGICAL MATIAS
- Junior Matias Pyysalo scored his career-best seventh goal and added an assist in the match for the Knights (3-7-0, 1-3-0).
- The Helsinki, Finland, native opened the scoring with a strike from 15-yards out.
- A beautiful cross played by freshman Cal Jennings set up the marker. It was the second-straight match that he assisted on a Pyysalo goal.
- After Tulsa (7-4-2, 2-2-0) tallied consecutive markers, Pyysalo found Clavijo on the goal line to level the match.
- Pyysalo paces the team with 18 points – seven goals and four assists.
KNIGHTS' NOTABLES
- The Knights fired eight shots toward the goal, which included three on target.
- A season-high total of four saves were made by freshman goalkeeper Matt Rosenberg.
- Junior Joel Vartiainen made his first start of the campaign. He started in 13 of 15 matches during his sophomore campaign.
- After starting and completing the first nine matches in his UCF career, sophomore Jonathan Dean's streak of playing 810-consecutive minutes came to an end in the match. He missed the trip to Tulsa to attend a family wedding.
NEXT UP
- The Knights complete a three-game road trip on Tuesday with a short drive up I-4 to Stetson at 7 p.m.
- UCF is back home for a match in The American against UConn on Saturday at 7 p.m.