Strong Second Half Leads Women’s Soccer to 2-2 Draw vs. Cincinnati in Regular-Season FinaleStrong Second Half Leads Women’s Soccer to 2-2 Draw vs. Cincinnati in Regular-Season Finale

Strong Second Half Leads Women’s Soccer to 2-2 Draw vs. Cincinnati in Regular-Season Finale

by James Warnick
Box Score

ORLANDO – The UCF women’s soccer team managed to overcome two-goal deficit with a pair of second-half goals en route to recording a 2-2 draw against Cincinnati in the regular-season finale on Friday night at the UCF Soccer Complex.

Senior Chloe Netzel netted her 11th goal of the season in the 62nd minute to cut the deficit in half and redshirt sophomore Brooke Mulroney tied things up with the equalizer in the 68th minute. Despite the result, UCF’s season ends with a 3-6-6 overall record and 1-5-4 Big 12 Conference clip as it failed to qualify for next week’s Sprouts Farmers Market Big 12 Championship.

“Our mentality really changed in that second half and the team came out and was truly brave and courageous. We have a good team, but we have a hard time with our mentality sometimes,” head UCF coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak said. “I don’t think it was a lack of competing, it was more of courage, bravery and confidence. Once they took some pressure off in that second half, you were able to see what this team is capable of. We showed that when we do play well, we’re a pretty great team.”  

With both teams needing a win to secure a spot in the Big 12 Championship, the Bearcats (6-8-4, 2-6-3 Big 12) struck first with a pair of quick goals to take an early 2-0 advantage. Ellie Flower got UC on the board in the fourth minute with a goal in the upper right corner. Her teammate Lauren Bastian later added Cincinnati’s second goal in the 11th minute with a shot from distance to make it 2-0.

Trailing by the two goals in the second half and with the season on the line, the Knights came out determined to get back into the game. After a trio of quick shots on goal from Netzel, the senior captain managed to break through in the 62nd minute. Maria Tregansin fed Taylor Jacobson, who passed it to Netzel at the top of the box. Netzel fired a strike from the top of the box into the upper right corner to make it 2-1. The goal marked her team-leading 11th on the season and the 30th of her distinguished career. The 11 goals marked the most by any Knight in a single season since 2018 when Stefanie Sanders managed to net 13.   

With UCF continuing to push the tempo, Netzel crossed a ball from the left side and Mulroney was there to tap home a failed clearance from the UC defense. The goal marked Mulroney’s first of the season as well as the first of her collegiate career.  

Both teams looked determined to pull ahead down the stretch by tallying five combined shots, but the game would go on to end in the tie. UCF keeper Genesis Perez Watson put up six saves in the contest, which included a stellar stop as time expired.  

With the 1-5-4 conference record, the Knights finished in a tie for 13th place to finish just outside of the top 12 and earn a trip to Kansas City for the 2024 Big 12 Championship.

“I’m nothing but proud of my teammates and what we were able to accomplish,” Netzel said. “We truly grew together this year.”

Friday night marked both the Space Game as well as Alumni Knight for UCF. The Knights donned the Citronaut blue for the first time on the season as well as had over 40 alums in attendance.

“It was an incredible experience. Obviously, you always try to learn from your elders, and they always have something to teach you. I think it was great to have so many of them here tonight giving us some feedback and supporting us,” Perez Watson said.

It also marked the final match for UCF’s talented senior class that included captains Netzel and Annika Huhta, as well as Taylor Jacobson, Kyleigh Thelen, Caitlyn Matthew, Lizah Pistorio, and Jade Steele.

“We’ve got a great team. Obviously, we are going to lose some great players after this season. But we have a lot of young players that played a lot of minutes, and that’s something to build on,” Roberts Sahaydak added.