ORLANDO – Fresh off a 2-1 victory in the season opener at UAB on Thursday, the UCF women’s soccer team returns to Orlando to welcome Florida Atlantic to town for its 2025 home opener on Sunday.
Sunday’s opening home match of the 2025 campaign will begin at 6 p.m. at the UCF Soccer Complex. The contest will air live on ESPN+ and live stats can also be followed by visiting UCF.Statbroadcast.com. The first 150 UCF students in attendance will receive a free Knights hat. Food trucks will also be on site as well as Knightro’s Kids Zone that will feature inflatables, games, and other fun experiences for young fans.
The Knights will enter Sunday’s match with a 1-0-0 record to the young season after defeating the Blazers 2-1 in Birmingham on Thursday night. Senior newcomers Liz Worden and Rajanah Reed each found the back of the net in the opening half and UCF held on down the stretch to pull out the victory.
The Black and Gold got on the board in the 23rd minute, Worden buried one home on a corner kick to take a 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. The impressive goal made Sportscenter’s Top 10 Plays and checked in at number three on the list.
Liz's goal was No. 3 on @SportsCenter!
— UCF Women's Soccer (@UCF_WSoccer) August 15, 2025
"Bends it like Worden" 💥 pic.twitter.com/mcn1cTJQjJ
UCF then made it 2-0 in the 36th minute, as Gabi Berchon found 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.
After UAB’s Lauren Lucero hit one off the crossbar in the 41st minute, she then fed her teammate Rebecca Sierra a minute later in the box and Sierra capitalized to make it a 2-1 score heading into the half.
The Knights came out determined in the second half, as Worden fired off a few good looks to put the pressure on. The UCF defense also did its job down the stretch to help the Black and Gold hold on for 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. Genesis Perez Watson was credited with a trio of saves in goal to help UCF pull out the win.
HOME OPENERS UNDER ROBERTS SAHAYDAK
The Knights will enter Sunday’s home opener holding to an 8-3-1 record in home openers under Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak. UCF also hasn’t lost a home-opening match in each of the past five seasons with its last loss in a home opener coming in 2019 against No. 16 Wisconsin. Over the last five home openers, the Black and Gold have outscored the opposition by a score of 11-2 and a total of 23-8 over 12 previous home openers under Roberts Sahaydak. UCF defeated Cincinnati (1-0), Texas (4-0), Florida (3-0), North Florida (2-1) and drew with Utah Valley (1-1) over its last five home openers.
12 NEWCOMERS
UCF welcomes in a total of 12 newcomers to the 2025 roster. Of the 12 newcomers, eight are transfers and four are freshmen. Of the transfers, five are seniors in Hannah Boughton (M, Baylor), Haylee Merserau (D, Pitt), Payton Patrick (F, Charlotte), Rajanah Reed (F, Washington State) and Liz Worden (F, Long Beach State); one is a junior in Brianne MacDonald (GK, Dalhousie Univ.); one is a sophomore in Ainsley Moy (M, TCU); and one is a redshirt freshman in Camryn Szotak (D, South Carolina). The freshmen include Kalena Bellini (F/D, Lehi, Utah), Tyra Eriksen (F/D, Umea, Sweden), Natalie Leon (D, San Clemente, Calif.), and Sophia May (M, Chula Vista, Calif.).
RETURNING CORE
The Knights welcome back six returning starters from the 2024 squad and a total of 13 returning letterwinners. Of the starting group, redshirt sophomore keeper Genesis Perez Watson is back along with defenders Kayla Chatman-Haggerty (5th Yr.), Guta Franke (So.), and Jada Silvest (So.), midfielder Honoka Hamano (Jr.), and forward Edidiong Etim (So.).
Fellow other returning letterwinners include keeper Sami Lipcon (So.), defenders Audrey Buck (RJr.), Jessica McCullen (Jr.) and Brooke Mulroney (RJr.), midfielders Katsi Bengoa (So.), Ella Holloran (So.) and Maria Tregansin (RJr.)
ABOUT FLORIDA ATLANTIC
FAU will come to town with a 0-0-1 record on the young season after playing to a 1-1 draw in its opener against Loyola Maryland at home on Thursday night. The Owls were recently picked to finish ninth out of 11 teams in the American Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. A season ago, Florida Atlantic posted a 3-11-4 overall record and a 10th-place finish in the American Conference standings last season with a 2-6-2 league mark.
The Owls recently had a trio of players named to the American Conference Watch List in defender Daniella Diaz, forward Michelle Horan and midfielder Morgan McDonald. Horan tied for the team lead a season ago with two goals and led the way in assists with two and points with six. Isabel Bostic fronts FAU in goals this season.
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST FAU
UCF will enter Sunday's 2025 home opener holding a 19-5-1 all-time series advantage over Florida Atlantic. Sunday's contest will mark the 26th all-time meeting between the in-state foes but just the third under head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak. The Knights will enter holding a perfect 13-0 record in Orlando and having won four straight meetings. A season ago, UCF pulled out a 5-1 triumph over FAU in the season opener in Boca Raton.
O CAPTAIN, OUR CAPTAIN
Redshirt junior midfielder Maria Tregansin has been named UCF's team captain for the 2025 campaign. Tregansin is in her fifth year with the program and had a solid season a year ago in which she played in 13 matches and started four of them. She notched a career-high three assists in 2024 with two coming against Arizona and one against Cincinnati. Tregansin was named to the 2024 Fall Academic All-Big 12 Team and is a true team leader for the Knights both on the field as well as behind the scenes.
Our 2025 captain 🫡 pic.twitter.com/l5W0qUzRGK
— UCF Women's Soccer (@UCF_WSoccer) August 11, 2025
UP NEXT FOR UCF
Sunday’s home opener will mark the first of a three-match homestand for the Knights. UCF will next welcome South Florida on Thursday (Aug 21) at 7 p.m. before hosting LSU of the SEC for a 7 p.m. contest next Sunday (Aug. 24).
TICKETS
UCF women’s soccer season and single-game tickets are on sale now. Please visit ucfknights.com/tickets for more information or call the ticket office at (407) 823-1000.
ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.