ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – The No. 17 UCF women's soccer team received additional postseason recognition with the release of the TopDrawerSoccer.com postseason honors this week.
Kathellen Sousa earned second team honors as a defender, while Vera Varis was named the third team goalkeeper. Dina Orschmann was a First Team Freshman Best XI as a forward. Sousa (No. 18), Varis (No. 28), Kayla Adamek (No. 39) and Morgan Ferrara (No. 43) were among the Women's National Top 100 players. Orschmann landed at No. 8 on the TDS Freshman Top 100 list.
Sousa, the American Athletic Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year, turned in a solid campaign on the back line. The Sao Vincente, Brazil, native earned First Team All-Region recognition from the United Soccer Coaches. Moving to centerback in the season opener, Sousa helped the Knights to 10 shutouts during their 16-match unbeaten streak.
Varis, who was named a United Soccer Coaches Association All-American earlier this month, allowed just four goals all season, compiling a goals against average of 0.27 that ranked third in the nation. The junior from Vantaa, Finland, was named the American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year as she tallied five shutouts with just one goal allowed in nine league matches.
An all-region selection, Orschmann finished her freshman campaign with 20 points, scoring six goals with a team-leading eight assists. The Berlin native was named The American Rookie of the Year.
The Knights finished the 2017 campaign with a 13-2-3 record, the most wins since the 2014 campaign. Returning to the United Soccer Coaches poll, UCF climbed as high as No. 6 and finished the regular season ranked eighth. The Knights posted a 16-match unbeaten streak, the longest since the 2013 campaign, and captured the American Athletic Conference regular season championship for the third time under head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak.
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