Men's Soccer to Host UTRGV in 2025 Home-OpenerMen's Soccer to Host UTRGV in 2025 Home-Opener

Men's Soccer to Host UTRGV in 2025 Home-Opener

by Ryan Ladika

ORLANDO – Two matches into the new campaign, the UCF men’s soccer team is set to make its 2025 home debut, squaring off against the UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros at the UCF Soccer Complex Wednesday afternoon.

The Black and Gold return home on the heels of a season-opening road trip through North Carolina that saw the team fall in a pair of closely contested matchups to the North Carolina Tar Heels and No. 6 Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

The Knights’ offensive efforts through their first two matches have been spearheaded by a handful of members of the program’s class of 17 newcomers, with 12 of the team’s 22 total shot attempts and both goals produced by the quartet of junior forward Lilian Ricol, senior forward Claudel N’goubou, junior midfielder Kenn Muendo and freshman defender Jem Hewlett.

Hewlett and Ricol combined to net UCF’s first goal of the season in the team’s Aug. 21 tilt with North Carolina, breaking the ice in the 21st minute thanks to a long cross-field assist from Hewlett that found Ricol on the other end with just one defender to beat.

The Knights’ lone tally in their Sunday evening matchup with the sixth-ranked Deacons was the result of a late offensive push after the squad fell behind by a pair of goals in the final 15 minutes.

N’goubou, the Black and Gold’s leader in shot attempts thus far, recorded an attempt on goal that was stopped by the Deacons goaltender but rebounded back out. Muendo was there and avoided dives by the goalkeeper and another Wake Forest defender to chip the ball in and halve UCF’s deficit in the 83rd minute.

The late try by N’goubou Sunday gave the senior Limestone transfer his team-leading sixth shot attempt this season, whose 3.00 per match rank tied for fifth most in the Sun Belt Conference entering Wednesday’s home-opener. Ricol, Muendo and returners Clarence Awoudor and Sora Funakoshi have also each notched three total shot attempts through two matches.

Senior goalkeeper Juanvi Muñoz has also enjoyed a strong start to his final season in Orlando, as the Valencia, Spain native on Sunday notched a season high five saves on Wake Forest’s seven shots on goal, including a perfect 4-for-4 showing in the first half.

Muñoz’s five Sunday saves also marked his highest single-game total since he contributed five saves in UCF’s 3-2 double-overtime NCAA Tournament loss to Vermont in Orlando Nov. 19, 2023, as well as his 10th career match with at least five.

The goalkeeper’s eight saves mark the second most by a goalkeeper in the Sun Belt through two games, behind only James Madison’s Joshua Moya’s nine, and represent his most through his first two starts of a season since his freshman 2022 season that saw him record 12 against then-No. 15 Wake Forest and North Florida.

When the Knights meet the Vaqueros Wednesday, the teams will meet for just the second time in either’s history, and the first time since UCF won the lone previous matchup by a 3-2 final score in double overtime Sept. 8, 2019.

Cal Jennings and Andres Hernandez catapulted the Black and Gold out to an early 2-0 lead with goals within the match’s first four minutes, and Yoni Sorokin later potted the penalty kick game-winner after UTRGV rallied back with a pair of second-half scores.

The Wednesday matchup will represent the Vaqueros’ season-opener after completing a trio of exhibition contests against Coastal Bend, St. Mary’s and Texas A&M International. The team last year went 4-7-5 overall, including a 2-3-4 mark within WAC play.

Among UTRGV’s 2024 non-conference slate was a narrow 3-2 loss to then-No. 16 SMU Sept. 29, a match that saw the Vaqueros nearly complete a three-goal comeback after the Mustangs jumped out to an early 3-0 advantage.

Led by All-WAC Second Team selection Keaviano Francis and All-WAC Freshman Pablo Torre, the Vaqueros totaled 22 goals from 10 different players and saw sophomore goalkeeper Fernando Carreon post a standout 1.20 goals-against average with 43 saves in his 13 appearances, including 12 starts.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. from the UCF Soccer Complex and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

TICKETS
UCF men’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.