ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – Three members of the UCF women’s soccer team were recognized by the United Soccer Coaches Association.
Stefanie Sanders earned second team all-region accolades. Vera Varis and Carrie Lawrence collected third team all-region recognition.
Sanders led the UCF offense with 13 goals and five assists for 31 points on the season. The sophomore striker was a unanimous first team all-conference selection after accumulating 19 points on eight goals and three assists in league play. The Hamburg, Germany native became the sixth Knight to record multiple hat tricks in a season but the first since 1991 (Kelly Kochevar) to do so in a three-game span. A two-time American Offensive Player of the Week, Sanders’ six game-winning goals are tied for the second-most in a single season.
Varis earned her second consecutive all-region accolade. The Vantaa, Finland native played every minute in goal for the Knights during league play, and allowed just 19 goals for a 1.05 goals-against average while earning her second-straight Goalkeeper of the Year distinction. Varis picked up a pair of Goalkeeper of the Week honors and recorded five shutouts on the season. She finished her career ranked fourth with 231 saves as a Knight and her 21 career shutouts rank sixth all-time at UCF.
Lawrence earned her first regional distinction. She led a solid back line that allowed just 10 goals in conference play. The Orlando native registered her first goal of the season in a 2-0 victory at then-No. 15 Memphis on Oct. 11, giving her at least one goal in each of her three seasons as a Knight. Lawrence earned second team all-conference honors in October.
UCF finished the season with a 10-7-1 overall record. The Knights earned the third seed in The American Championship, becoming the only team in the conference to be a top-three seed at least five times since the league’s inception in 2013.
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