ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - Three first half goals by the Knights helped send the No. 7 UCF women's soccer team to the 2017 American Athletic Conference championship game on Sunday. The Knights topped Memphis, 3-0, in The American semifinal on Friday night at the UCF Soccer Complex.
"I'm happy they were hungry," UCF head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak said. "I don't want this team to ever get satisfied. Our goal is to get better in every game, and in areas of the game, I think we did. Another goal was to get a shutout, and we got that too. I'm happy for them."
UCF (13-1-2) extended its unbeaten streak to 15 matches with the victory over the Tigers.
The Knights took an early 1-0 lead over Memphis after a Tiger defender misplayed a cross that was redirected across the goal line.
After freshman Dina Orschmann drew a foul in the box, senior Morgan Ferrara extended the UCF lead to 2-0 on a penalty kick in the eighth minute. The third marker came on a throughball from Orschmann to classmate Stefanie Sanders, who drilled a shot that beat the keeper to the far post.
UCF is still rolling.
- The win over the Tigers extended UCF's unbeaten streak to 15 matches.
- The Knights have not lost a contest since the season opener on Aug. 18
- UCF's 14-match unbeaten streak is its longest since the 2013 campaign when the Knights posted a school-record 18-match unbeaten streak.
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The Knights advance to their second championship game in The American.
- UCF advances to its first tournament championship game in The American since 2013.
- The Knights earned their first semifinal victory in The American. The Black and Gold advanced to the 2013 title game on penalty kicks, and all postseason shootouts are officially entered in the record books as a tie.
The defense was dominant.
- UCF posted its ninth shutout of the season on Friday night.
- Junior goalkeeper Vera Varis was solid for the Knights once again, dropping her season goals against average to 0.24.
NEXT UP
UCF will take on second-seeded USF on Sunday. The 2 p.m. match will air on ESPNews. Ticket information can be found here.
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