ORLANDO – Freshman Guta Franke netted her first collegiate goal and senior Chloe Netzel found the back of the net in the 86th minute, but it wasn’t enough as UCF women’s soccer dropped a 4-2 decision to No. 8 TCU on Thursday evening at the UCF Soccer Complex.
The Knights drop to 3-5-5 overall and 1-4-3 in Big 12 play with the result, while the first-place Horned Frogs improve to 12-2-2 on the season and 7-0-2 in league play with the victory.
“TCU is a very good team. We knew that they were going to have possession for long stretches, but we were prepared for that. I thought we did well in our midblock and defending them. But it came down to a few defending in the box moments that we could have been better at,” head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak said. “We’ll learn from it, however, and be ready to go on Sunday.”
The Horned Frogs, who currently ranked eighth nationally in this week’s United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll, struck first with a goal from leading scorer Seven Castain in the 29th minute to take a 1-0 lead. TCU then added a goal from Caroline Kelly in the 34th minute to take a 2-0 advantage into the break.
With the Frogs holding to the two-goal lead in the 60th minute, UCF senior Annika Huhta fed a cross into the box via a corner kick. TCU headed the ball out, but the Black and Gold freshman Franke was there for a beautiful one-touch strike into the back of the net for her first collegiate goal and cut the deficit in half at 2-1.
GUTA FRANKE CUTS THE DEFICIT IN HALF!
— UCF Women's Soccer (@UCF_WSoccer) October 18, 2024
TCU 2, UCF 1 pic.twitter.com/wqWEbTn6kd
Following a couple of big saves from UCF keeper and the reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Week Genesis Perez Watson, TCU managed to get one back in the 73rd minute on a goal from Bella Diorio.
With both sides battling down the stretch, the Horned Frogs extended their lead to 4-1 with another goal from Kelly in the 84th minute.
The Knights didn’t go away from there, as Brooke Mulroney fed Netzel in the box in the 86th minute and Netzel managed to sneak one into the bottom left corner to make it a 4-2 score. Netzel’s goal marked her team-leading 10th of the season.
Chloe with her 10th goal of the season 🤩
— UCF Women's Soccer (@UCF_WSoccer) October 18, 2024
TCU 4, UCF 2 pic.twitter.com/P1v9iOrm2g
The Horned Frogs would go on to hold onto their lead in the closing stages, however, to pull out the victory.
Netzel and Huhta tied for the team lead on the night with two shots on frame apiece, while Kelly led TCU with three. UCF’s Perez Watson finished with a game-high seven saves.
The Knights will continue a current three-match homestand by hosting Oklahoma State on Sunday afternoon at the UCF Soccer Complex. Sunday’s matinee is set for a 12:30 p.m. start. The Black and Gold will then close their regular season by hosting Cincinnati on Friday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m.