BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Senior newcomers Liz Worden and Rajanah Reed each found the back of the net in the first half en route to leading UCF women’s soccer to a 2-1 win over UAB in the season opener on Thursday night at PNC Field.
The victory marked UCF’s sixth straight win on Opening Knight, as the Black and Gold’s last setback in a season opener came in 2019.
“I’m really proud of how our team battled tonight,” 13th-year head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak said. “We created dangerous chances, stayed connected defensively, and showed great resilience to get the result on the road against a tough UAB side.”
The Blazers (0-1-0) had the first chance as UAB’s Avery Berryman received a good through ball near the goal in the 17th minute, but UCF’s Genesis Perez Watson was there for the save on the near side of the goal to keep things scoreless.
The Knights (1-0-0) struck back by netting the goal of the game in the 23rd minute, as Worden buried one home on a corner kick to give the Black and Gold an early 1-0 advantage. Worden’s cross off the corner kick cleared everyone and not only marked UCF’s first of the season but also Worden’s first as a Knight.
Liz Worden with the early contender for corner kick of the year??? 👀#SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/yM0ZpAmI77
— UCF Knights 🌴 (@UCFKnights) August 15, 2025
The Black and Gold then made it 2-0 in the 36th minute, as Gabi Berchon found the senior Reed near the top of the 18 on the left side of the box and Reed fired a shot past UAB’s keeper. The goal also marked Reed’s first as a Knight.
36' - Make that 2-0, as Rajanah Reed finds the back of the net for her first goal as a Knight 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oHoqFgLjp1
— UCF Women's Soccer (@UCF_WSoccer) August 15, 2025
The Blazers then had a couple of chances late in the first half and the first one just missed the target, as Lauren Lucero hit the crossbar in the 41st minute. Lucero then fed her teammate Rebecca Sierra a minute later in the box and she capitalized to make it a 2-1 score heading into the half.
The Knights took the offensive again in the early stages of the second half, as Worden had a couple of shots on goal in the first few minutes. Worden later had two more good looks in 66th minute, but UAB’s Leah Parsons managed to keep both of them out of the back of the net.
Following a missed opportunity by UAB off a free kick in the 81st minute, the Knights pushed it ahead to Reed in the 84th minute but her shot was saved by the Blazers’ keeper.
The Knights would go on to hold the lead down the stretch to seal the victory.
Worden led the Black and Gold with five shots and four of those on target, while Reed finished right behind her with three shots and two on goal. After being sidelined due to injury a season ago, the redshirt freshman Berchon recorded her first collegiate points in the contest with an assist.
Perez Watson was credited with a trio of saves in goal to help UCF pull out the win.