ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – UCF senior midfielder Matias Pyysalo earned his second American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week accolade on Monday. He netted the game-winning goal that lifted the Knights to a 1-0 victory vs. Cincinnati on Nov. 5.
After beating a pair of defenders, the Helsinki, Finland, native's shot hit off the far post and caromed into the net during the eighth minute against the Bearcats. The Knights defense made sure that marker held up, only allowing a pair of Cincinnati shots during the match.
Pyysalo tallied his seventh-career game-winning goal and the third in league play this season. It was his 10th marker of the campaign and rose his season points total to 25. He ranks 11th nationally in goals (0;.67) and points (1.67) per game.
Senior Javier Clavijo and freshman Matt Rosenberg were also selected to The American Honor Roll. Clavijo played all 90 minutes, leading the Knights' backline in the shutout of the Bearcats, while Rosenberg made one save to register his third clean sheet of the campaign.
This was the third weekly honor for Pyysalo in his UCF career. Earlier this season, he notched an overtime winner to help the Knights knock off No. 24 UConn for the first time in school history.
With the victory, the Knights finished fourth in The American standings and clinched a spot in the league tournament. UCF takes on regular season champion USF on Friday at 7 p.m. in Tampa.
