Knights Soar Over Temple in 3-0 VictoryKnights Soar Over Temple in 3-0 Victory

Knights Soar Over Temple in 3-0 Victory

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The UCF men's soccer team won its third straight match and improved to 6-1 in American Athletic Conference soccer play with a 3-0 win over Temple on the road on Friday night.

"It was another game where we were ready to play from the start," said associate head coach Paul Souders. "We came prepared had prepped well and had a good approach. We have a lot of respect for Temple, it's not an easy place to come and play, especially being the only artificial turf in the conference. The guys were just ready, and that's what got us the early goal. When we played our way and were clean in possession, we created a lot of opportunities. It was a clean sheet too, it's always great to not concede a goal."

The Knights wasted little time getting on the board, scoring on their first shot attempt just 3:35 into the match. Gino Vivi curled in a corner kick to the awaiting foot of Dourado in the box, who cranked it home through traffic for his 11th goal of the season.

The Knights doubled the lead as Vivi buried his first goal in eight matches in the 39th minute. He stripped the ball from a Temple player in the Owl's attacking third and drove down the pitch. Vivi dumped it off for Ariel Hadar who shot but was turned aside by Goodwill Agbaadem. Vivi collected the rebound, faked and finished from the top of the 18-yard box for his third goal of the season.

After starting up 5-0 in shot attempts through the first 35 minutes, Temple fired off a flurry of attempts in the final 10 minutes of the half. At the break, the Knights led 7-6 in shot attempts and had a 4-2 edge in corner kicks.

UCF got on the scoresheet even quicker out of the halftime break than they did after the opening whistle. It took Vivi just 69 seconds after the beginning of the second stanza to net his second goal of the match and fourth of the season. It looked as if Vivi was attempting to cross the ball into the box, but it caught a Temple defender on the way through and wound up in the back of the net.

Vivi and Dourado at one point earlier in the season had accounted for 11 of UCF's last 12 goals scored, dating back to last season. The dynamic duo is responsible for 22 of UCF's last 37 goals and have tallied 15 of the Knights' 32 goals in the 2021 campaign.

Tyler Lavigne earned his first solo clean sheet of his career, earning a career-high seven saves on the night. He earned a combined shutout in his debut against North Florida, leaving the match due to injury in the 72nd minute back on Aug. 29. Matt Douglass finished off that shutout which was the only other clean sheet of the season for the Black and Gold.

UCF entered the match ranked seventh nationally in goals scored per match with a mark of 2.64 a game. The Knights have scored three or more goals for the seventh time this season, only elevating that average with Friday night's result. UCF has scored three or more goals in six of their last eight matches. At one point, they were tied for the national lead in scoring with an even three goals per match.

The Knights improve to 8-2-2 all-time against the Owls, including six straight victories. UCF has outscored Temple 19-1 in those matches.

UP NEXT
The Knights return home for their final two home matches of the season. They'll host South Florida in the War On I-4 on Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. before closing out the home schedule on Oct. 31 against SMU at 6 p.m.

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