RV UCF vs. #10 Virginia Tech Friday, September 3, 4 p.m. |
ORLANDO, Fla. – The UCF men's soccer team is set for their first road trip of the season as they head to Raleigh, N.C. for the George Tarantini Classic, hosted by NC State. The Knights will face No. 10 Vriginia Tech in a neutral site matchup on Sep. 3 at 4 p.m. before playing against the host Wolfpack on Sep. 6 at 7 p.m.
The Black and Gold, wo are now receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, bounced back from a 4-0 loss to FIU in a big way, trouncing UNF 5-0 to close out the season's opening homestand. Gino Vivi earned UCF's first goal of the season in the 28th minute, pounding one through a handful of Osprey defenders. Lucca Dourado scored the next two goals, one at the 34-minute mark and the next at in the 62nd minute. The Knights kept the pressure on as Lucas Mauro and Josiah Ramirez scored their first goals as Knights in the 80th and 89th minutes respectively.
Vivi and Dourado have been quite the dynamic duo for the Knights as they have scored 11 of UCF's last 14 goals. The pair scored the first three goals of the 2021 season and the final five of the 2020-21 campaign.
Thursday's matchup will feature a pair of 2020-21 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 teams. Virginia Tech went toe-to-toe with nationally seeded No. 6 Seton Hall, sending the match into overtime at a score of 2-2. The match went into PK's where Seton Hall's keeper scored the final goal, advancing the Pirates past the Hokies in a 7-6 shootout.
Virginia Tech began their 2021 campaign with a draw against UMKC, ending in a 2-2 tie. The Hokies followed that up with a 3-2 win on the road against reigning national champion No. 1 Marshall. The Thundering Herd began the match by scoring twice in the first 17:20 of the match but saw Virginia Tech score three unanswered in the final frame, including two penalty kick goals. Sivert Haugli leads the Hokies in scoring, tallying two goals in 184 minutes played so far this season.
Virginia Tech was ranked No. 15 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll while the Knights were ranked No. 13. The Hokies' win against Marshall bumped them up five spots to No. 10.
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