TULSA, Oklahoma – The UCF women's soccer team stays undefeated in the conference, picking up a massive three points with a 3-2 victory against the Golden Hurricane in Tulsa, Oklahoma Sunday afternoon at Hurricane Stadium.
"I'm so proud of the team for getting through today's match," Head Coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak said following the final whistle. "Credit to Tulsa for putting us under a lot of pressure, not all wins will be pretty, and the players still found a way."
The first minutes of the opening half were eventful as both teams looked to grab the early lead. Following a good look from Kristen Scott, Tulsa was able to score the first goal against Caroline DeLisle and the UCF backline in conference play in the fifth minute.
The response from the Knights was immediate as Scott found the leveler in the 22nd minute. A beautiful combination from the front three started with a Mallory Olsson pass that found a running Dayana Martin who played a beautiful cross into the box that found the streaking Scott, putting it in first time.
Five minutes later, the front line did it again. This time Olsson played the ball to Scott who turned and found Martin running through the backline, taking the ball past the defender and then into the back of the net, giving the Knights a one-goal advantage.
UCF took that lead into the half which continues the four-game streak in conference play of coming out after the break with the advantage. In the four games before Sunday in which the Knights have led after the first half, they have yet to lose, winning three and drawing one.
Much like the opening five minutes of the first 45, it took the Golden Hurricane just six minutes to score in the second, leveling the match at two after 52 minutes played.
Thankfully the similarities continued for the Knights, snatching back the momentum, and finding what would be the game-winner in the 60th. Martin's speed on the wing was too much for the Tulsa backline as she took the ball down the pitch into the box, playing another incredible ball into Scott who calmly tapped it past the keeper with her right for her third match-winning goal in a row.
Since returning from injury, Scott has 12 points in four matches, assisting two and scoring five. Thus far, she's averaging 2.25 points per game, her highest tally through any eight-game stretch in her career.
Martin has now gone three games running with an assist, notching two in back-to-back games. Before last week's match against Cincinnati, Martin had four career assists, she's now broken that mark with five since.
The Black and Gold stand alone on top of the conference with 13 points, one ahead of USF in second. The Knights return to Orlando on Thursday for the penultimate home match of the season against ECU.
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