ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – UCF senior Matias Pyysalo and freshman Yoni Sorokin earned All-East Region recognition from the United Soccer Coaches Association. Pyysalo was tabbed to the second team, while Sorokin received third team honors.
Pyysalo registered 12 goals and five assists to pace the Knights. He was also named the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season.
The Helsinki, Finland, native ranks among the nation's leaders in points (5th/2.07) and goals (4th/0.86) per game. He finished his career ranked fifth on the Knights' charts in goals (30), assists (19) and points (79).
This is the second honor for Pyysalo this fall as he was also selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-Region First Team.
Sorokin was a calming presence in the midfield and registered three goals and three assists during the campaign. The Jerusalem, Israel, native registered the game-winning goal at Jacksonville and vs. UConn in the semifinal of The American Championship.
Pyysalo and Sorokin are the first Knights to earn all-region honors since Hadji Barry earned first team recognition in 2015. Overall, UCF has had 44 players recognized by the organization.
The Knights posted an eight-match unbeaten streak before falling in OT to host SMU and finished as runner-up at The American Championship. UCF finished an 8-6-2 mark and finished seventh in the United Soccer Coaches East Region poll.
GET THE APP
Never miss any UCF Knights news from your favorite team by downloading the free UCF Knights app right to your iOS or Android phone! The app provides personalized information for men's and women's teams, scores, schedules, loyalty programs and even breaking news.
