Tulsa, Okla. (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF women's soccer team will wrap up its regular season schedule on the road this weekend with conference matches against Tulsa and Memphis.
The team is currently just below the cutline in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) tournament picture.
The upside is that UCF controls its own destiny and can earn a tournament bid with wins over both the Hurricane and Tigers this weekend. Several other scenarios (listed below) could also give the Black and Gold an AAC tournament berth, but each require at least one win and some help.
The Knights are seventh in the AAC with 10 points while Cincinnati and rival USF each have 11 and Tulsa has 12. UConn, Memphis and SMU have already clinched berths and only the top six teams at the end of conference play are invited to compete for the AAC championship.
Teams earn three points for a victory, zero for a loss, and one for a tie.
UCF at Tulsa (10.27)
• The match will stream live on the American Digital Network
• UCF owns the all-time series 10-0-1 winning the last meeting (2015) 3-1 in Orlando.
• The 2015 match featured a goal on a bicycle kick by UCF's then junior Carol Rodrigues. The play was featured on ESPN Sports Center's Top 10.
• The Knights trail the Hurricane by two points in the AAC standings.
• UCF ranks No. 52 in NCAA and fourth in the AAC in RPI while Tulsa is No. 74 in NCAA and sixth in the AAC.
UCF at Memphis (10.30)
• Memphis leads the all-time series 8-7-1.
• UCF defeated the Tigers 3-1 in the last meeting (2015).
• Rodrigues scored two goals in the match, both assisted by then sophomore Kayla Adamek.
• Memphis is currently second in conference points at 18, and has already clinched a spot in the AAC tournament.
Knights Scenario's
- UCF can earn a spot in the AAC tournament with:
- Wins over both Tulsa and Memphis
- A win over Tulsa combined with a USF win over Tulsa.
- A win over Tulsa or Memphis combined with two losses or a loss and a draw by either USF or Cincinnati.
- A win over Tulsa or Memphis combined with two losses by either USF or Cincinnati.
Gameday Notables
• Through 16 games, 12 different players have scored 33 total goals for the Black and Gold.
• Five of the seven losses for the Knights came against ranked opponents including (NSCAA as of October 24) #2 South Carolina, #4 Duke, #18 North Carolina, #20 Florida and #21 UConn.
• Carol is key; Senior Carol Rodrigues is currently No. 25 among NCAA individuals for goals scored and No. 27 for goals-per-game average. The Brazilian striker has netted 11 total goals this season and notched 2 game winners while averaging .69 goals-per-game.
• Over two seasons, UCF is 16-1-1 when Rodrigues scores and just 4-12-2 when opponents keep her off the board.
• Junior forward Morgan Ferrara buried the overtime winner against ECU Sunday and is the Knights No. 2 scorer with six goals and 13 points.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Vera Varis has started and finished all 16 games in net for the Knights. She has logged 1,466 minutes, made 50 saves, posted four shutouts and boasts a goals-against average (GAA) of 1.60 overall and 21 saves, 2 shutouts and a 1.37 GAA in conference play.