ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF women's soccer team moved up one spot in the latest United Soccer Coaches Top 25, landing at No. 7 in Tuesday's poll.
The Knights continue to move the bar under head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak, as Tuesday's ranking is the highest during her five-year tenure. The seventh spot is also UCF's highest rating since 2012 when the Knights came in at No. 6.
UCF (10-1-1, 5-0-1 The American) posted a 4-0 victory at LSU on Sunday to extend its unbeaten streak to 11 matches. The Knights have not lost a match since dropping their season opener at then-No. 4 South Carolina. During the streak, UCF has topped two Pac 12 opponents, an ACC foe and an SEC opponent.
The Knights are also among the top 10 nationally in four statistical categories. UCF ranks fifth in scoring offense (2.92), sixth in points per game (8.50) and ninth in both assists per game (2.67) and win-loss-tie percentage (0.875).
The Oct. 15 victory at LSU marked the sixth straight contest where the Knights scored four or more goals. After combining to score eight goals in the first six games, UCF has now outscored its opponents 27-1 in its last six matches.
Individually, Vera Varis has compiled a 0.225 goals against average that ranks third in the nation. She ranks seventh nationally with a .905 save percentage. Morgan Ferrara, who has scored nine goals over the last five matches, ranks third in the nation with an average of 0.92 goals per game. Of her 11 goals this season, five have been game winners, which is the ninth best in the country.
The NCAA released its updated RPI ratings on Monday, and UCF moved up two spots to the fifth spot. The Knights have been among the top 10 teams for all five weeks of the rankings. The RPI standings rank more than 330 teams based upon their wins, losses and strength of schedule.
The Knights are no stranger to the United Soccer Coaches – previously known as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) – rankings. From Dec. 2011 until Sept. 2015, the Knights had been ranked or receiving votes in every NSCAA poll.
The Black and Gold returned to the poll on Aug. 29, jumping in at No. 24. UCF has continued to move up in each release of the weekly poll.
UCF holds a one-point advantage in the league standings heading into a three-game homestand to close the regular season. The Knights host UConn on Thursday, followed by a meeting with Temple on Sunday.
DON'T MISS OUT
The UCF women's soccer team is set for its fifth season under head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak and will welcome six teams from the 2016 NCAA Tournament to the UCF Soccer Complex in 2017. Click here or call (407) 823-1000 for ticket information.
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Membership to Knights Watch, the official supporters group of UCF Soccer, begins at $15 for students and $50 for fans. Packages include tickets to all home contests for men's and women's soccer, a Knights Watch T-Shirt, a soccer scarf and a variety of free catered tailgates. To become a member, click here.
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