No. 21 Men's Soccer Draws with Wake Forest, 1-1No. 21 Men's Soccer Draws with Wake Forest, 1-1

No. 21 Men's Soccer Draws with Wake Forest, 1-1

by Ryan Ladika
Box Score

ORLANDO – The No. 21 UCF men’s soccer team enjoyed a handful of positive firsts against the visiting Wake Forest Demon Deacons Saturday evening, and while a winning result eluded the squad for the second straight match, the program displayed once again the strength of its depth behind the starting 11.

Newcoming midfielder Sora Funakoshi scored the first goal of his Division I collegiate career in support of redshirt freshman netminder Shane Wright’s first collegiate start in goal, as the 21st-ranked Knights played to a 1-1 draw with the Deacons in front of 1,012 strong at the UCF Soccer Complex.

“It’s tough, because the guys should be proud of and happy for their performance, and yet still want the outcome. Those are two different things. We were able to control large parts of the game, and then in the final third, there are some moments that we didn’t take advantage of. We can do better, but this is also a good step in the right direction for the group.”

Scott CalabreseHead coach

The 1-1 draw marks the second straight such result for the Black and Gold (1-0-2), who played to a 1-1 stalemate in their most recent contest against the then-No. 23 Seattle Redhawks Aug. 25 as well. The result not only ensures the Knights remain undefeated through three matches this fall, but also represents the first non-losing outcome the team has produced in its five all-time matchups against one of the winningest programs in collegiate soccer in Wake Forest (1-1-1).

After battling through a scoreless first half that saw UCF weather three Deacons shot attempts with four of its own, the Knights finally solved Wake Forest’s defensive front early in the second half.

Junior transfer, and reigning 2023 Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year, Clarence Awoudor dribbled the ball into the Deacons’ defensive end before sending a pass to senior forward Emmanuel Bam just above the 18-yard box.

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Bam held possession for a few beats before sending the ball back toward Awoudor, who wasted no time in executing a one-touch pass to Funakoshi in the box. Awoudor’s pass ricocheted off the side of Funakoshi’s left leg and into the Wake Forest net, giving the Knights a one-goal advantage in the 55th minute of action.

The tally also represented UCF’s fifth goal of the season from its fifth different goal-scorer, joining goals courtesy of Awoudor, Bam, Lucca Dourado and Drew Hansen through the team’s first two matches of the fall campaign.

Credited with assists on the play, Awoudor and Bam both built their team-leading point totals to a respective four points as well, on the strength of one goal and two assists through three matches by both.

“This is the most creative we’ve been in the final third in terms of combining with and finding each other. There’s a real connection with that group and we got into real dangerous positions, and we want to grow that. We want to continue to create better and higher-quality chances, and as many of them as we possibly can.”

Scott CalabreseHead coach

Funakoshi’s goal preceded by only minutes the first save of Wright’s collegiate career, the redshirt freshman next in line to protect the Knights’ goal after junior Juanvi Muñoz suffered an injury in practice leading up to Saturday’s contest.

The Orlando native wrapped up a try by Wake Forest freshman Dylan Borso that knuckled through traffic on its way to the goal line in the 60th minute, stifling a Deacons scoring chance.

Wright later made a slick kick save in the 69th minute of action, tracking the ball across the box before booting another shot attempt by Borso out of bounds, preserving the Black and Gold’s one-goal lead.

“I’ve been looking forward to this for almost a year and a half now. I knew I was at the level to be able to play, and I proved it. I just have to keep getting better, and it’s only up from here. There’s a lot of things to improve upon and things I did well, so overall I’m happy.”

Shane WrightRedshirt freshman goalkeeper

Though the Deacons managed an equalizer thanks in part to a fortuitous bounce in the 77th minute of play, Wright and his team’s defensive scheme in front of him limited their opposition to a single goal for the third straight contest to begin the 2024 campaign, matching the team’s 2023 streak of three straight such defensive efforts to begin a season.

Wright credited Muñoz with his own development, speaking highly of his friend and teammate in helping him realize his on-field collegiate debut with full preparedness.

“For me, it’s not just as a goalkeeper, but as a person as well. He’s my roommate and best friend, so I spend a lot of time with him, and I’ve learned a lot of things from him both on and off the field. It breaks my heart that this is what has had to happen for me to get on the field, but it’s part of the game. I’m trying to do this for him.”

Shane Wrighton his bond with junior juanvi muñoz

UP NEXT

The No. 21 UCF men’s soccer team will conclude its season-opening four-match homestand Friday, Sept. 6, when the group welcomes the UC Irvine Anteaters to Orlando. Kickoff for the match is slated for 7 p.m. from the UCF Soccer Complex, and will be streamed on ESPN+.

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