Women’s Soccer Tops No. 24 Georgia 2-0 on Senior KnightWomen’s Soccer Tops No. 24 Georgia 2-0 on Senior Knight

Women’s Soccer Tops No. 24 Georgia 2-0 on Senior Knight

by James Warnick
Box Score

ORLANDO – Freshman Ella Holloran scored the game-winner in the 41st minute and senior Chloe Netzel added her sixth goal of the season in the 48th to lead UCF women’s soccer to a 2-0 shutout victory over No. 24 Georgia on Sunday night at the UCF Soccer Complex.

Freshman keeper Sami Lipcon also had a big match for the Knights, as she tallied four key second half saves en route to recording her first career clean sheet.

UCF remains unbeaten on the season, as it improves to 2-0-2 with the win. The defending SEC tournament champion Bulldogs, who is currently ranked No. 24 by the United Soccer Coaches and No. 8 by Top Drawer Soccer, drop to 1-2-2 on the year with the loss. The contest marked Senior Knight for the Black and Gold, as UCF honored six seniors prior to the match.

 “The team made a pact that we would be committed to our seniors tonight and we would play like our seniors—the way that they hold themselves accountable, their leadership, their toughness. And we promised that we would play for them. That was what tonight was about and I’m proud of the team for how they went out there and performed tonight,” head UCF coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak said.

With the match scoreless after 40 minutes of action, the senior Netzel raced down the left side of the pitch and crossed a ball in the center of the box. The pass was deflected out to the top of the box by a Georgia defender and the freshman Ella Holloran was there and immediately fired a shot past Bulldogs’ keeper Jordan Brown to give the Knights the 1-0 advantage. The goal marked the first of the season as well as the first of the career for Holloran.

With the Black and Gold holding to the 1-0 advantage after the intermission break, Netzel found herself with another chance in the 48th minute. From near midfield, redshirt freshman Jada Silvest passed ahead a nice ball for Netzel just outside the top of the box and Netzel was able to finish by chipping the ball over the keeper for her sixth goal of the young season. Netzel has now found the back of the net in all four matches for the Knights in 2024 and is one of the nation’s leaders in goals scored with six.

“Chloe Netzel is unbelievable. It’s not a secret, everyone knows that she’s a player to watch,” Roberts Sahaydak added. “She’s lights out and carries the team competitively. She is a great leader.”

The Bulldogs threatened a couple of times in the second half, but each time the UCF defense was up to the challenge and able to keep Georgia off the scoreboard. The freshman keeper Lipcon had four key saves in the second half, which included big saves in the 67th and 74th minutes.

“We’ve given Sami a tough job by throwing her in goal as a freshman. But she’s really lived up to the challenge and is doing a great for us. She had a few huge saves for us and kept us in the game. This is just the beginning for her, and she’ll continue to improve and bring the team together.”

UCF honored six seniors prior to the match in midfielder Annika Huhta, defender Taylor Jacobson, midfielder Caitlyn Matthews, forward Netzel, goalkeeper Lizah Pistorio and defender Kyleigh Thelen. Five of the six saw time in the contest and Netzel led the way by finding the back of the net.

The match marked UCF’s first regular season win over a ranked opponent since Sept. 5, 2021, when it knocked off No. 7 Penn State, 2-1, at home.

Sunday’s contest began approximately 90 minutes late due to lightning in the area.

The Knights will next head to Tampa to face South Florida in their final non-conference match of the season on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. UCF will then return home to host its 2024 Big 12 opener against Houston on Sept. 12.