Women’s Soccer to Host FIU Thursday in Annual Space GameWomen’s Soccer to Host FIU Thursday in Annual Space Game

Women’s Soccer to Host FIU Thursday in Annual Space Game

by James Warnick

ORLANDO – One of just 11 undefeated teams remaining in the nation, the UCF women’s soccer team will look to continue its winning ways when it hosts FIU on Thursday evening at the UCF Soccer Complex.

The in-state contest will begin at 7 p.m. and will air live on ESPN+. Live stats can also be followed by visiting UCF.Statbroadcast.com. The match will mark UCF’s annual Space Game where the team will don the Canaveral blue uniforms. The Space Game celebrates the university’s deep ties to the Kennedy Space Center and the space program that dates back to the school’s inception in 1963.

The Knights will enter Thursday with an unblemished 5-0-0 record. The 5-0 record marks UCF’s best start to a season in program history at the NCAA Division I level.

The Black and Gold most recently pulled out a 1-0 shutout victory at Florida last Thursday and have won back-to-back contests over SEC programs, as they previously beat LSU by a score of 2-1. UCF scored late game-winning goals in each game, with Gabi Berchon scoring the game winner with just 11 seconds to go against LSU and Rajanah Reed netting the lone goal of the match against the Gators in the 87th minute.

With the clock approaching just three minutes remaining and the game still scoreless against Florida, Guta Franke fed a deep pass over the top to Liz Worden. Worden then deflected it ahead to Reed on the right side of the box and the senior forward was able to drill a late strike into the back of the net to give UCF a late 1-0 advantage.

The Knights managed to hold the lead from there to move to a perfect 3-0 against Sunshine State opponents on the season.

Genesis Perez Watson had a solid performance in goal against Florida by recording a season-high six saves en route to notching her first clean sheet of the season. Five of the six saves came in the first half, as the UCF redshirt sophomore was tested early in the match.  

SEASON LEADERS
With the late goal last Thursday against Florida, Rajanah Reed now leads the Knights with three goals on the season. Liz Worden and Gabi Berchon are right behind her with a pair of goals apiece. The senior forward Worden also leads the way in assists with four, as well as points (8), shots (16), and shots on goal (9). Goalkeeper Genesis Perez Watson fronts the team in goal with 18 saves and a perfect 5-0-0 record.

ABOUT FIU
The Panthers will come to Orlando with a 2-1-2 record on the 2025 campaign. After falling to No. 3 Florida State in the opener, FIU has since recorded two wins and a pair of draws. All five games have been against in-state foes, as the Panthers have defeated Florida Atlantic and Stetson and drew with North Florida and FGCU. FIU is coming off an impressive 2024 season in which the team went 13-5-2 overall and won Conference USA with a 6-1-2 mark. After also winning the CUSA Tournament, Florida International advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history. The Panthers were picked to finish second this season on the conference’s preseason coaches’ poll.

Montelene Dymond paces FIU in goals with four and points with eight. Chinatsu Kaio is next with two goals and Grace Morris leads the way in assists with two. Goalkeeper Valery Restrepo fronts the Panthers in saves with 15 and has played all 450 minutes on the season in goal. Restrepo was named to the 2025 CUSA Women’s Soccer Preseason Team prior to the season.

FIU is coached by Mat Dunn. Dunn is in his first season at the helm of the Panthers.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. FIU
Thursday's match against FIU will mark the 36th all-time contest between the in-state foes. The Knights will enter holding to a commanding 29-4-2 all-time series advantage and a 16-3-0 mark with games played in Orlando. UCF has won nine straight meetings over the Panthers, which includes a 5-0 victory in the most recent matchup on Sept. 8, 2016, at the UCF Soccer Complex.

BEST START IN PROGRAM HISTORY AT THE NCAA DIVISION I LEVEL
The Knights will enter Thursday off to a perfect 5-0-0 start to the 2025 campaign. The 5-0 record marks the Black and Gold’s best start to a season in program history at the NCAA Division I level.

UCF opened the year with a 2-1 victory on the road at UAB and followed it up with a trio of home wins over Florida Atlantic (3-1), South Florida (4-1) and LSU (2-1). The Knights then defeated their second straight SEC foe last Sunday with a 1-0 shutout victory at Florida. 

UCF has outscored the opposition 12-4 on the season and after scoring the game winner in the 87th minute at Florida on Sunday, Rajanah Reed leads the way with three goals. Liz Worden and Gabi Berchon are right behind her with a pair of goals apiece. Worden fronts the team in assists with four, as well as points (7), shots (16) and shots on goal (9).

With a win on Thursday, UCF would move to 6-0, putting them one game back of tying the program’s best start to a season ever, which came in UCF women’s soccer’s inaugural season in 1981 when the team opened the year with an unblemished 7-0 mark.

ONE OF ELEVEN UNBEATEN TEAMS REMAINING
UCF will enter Thursday as one of just 11 unbeaten teams remaining on the season in the nation. Oklahoma is leading the way at 6-0, while UCF, Alabama, Illinois, Memphis, Stanford and Tennessee follow at 5-0. Colorado State, Duke and TCU are 4-0, and Niagara rounds out the undefeated teams at the NCAA Division I level with a 3-0 record.

UNDEFEATED AGAINST SUNSHINE STATE FOES
The Knights will enter Thursday’s contest with a perfect 3-0-0 record against in-state foes on the season. The Black and Gold first pulled out back-to-back home wins over Florida Atlantic (3-1) and South Florida (4-1), before shutting out the Florida Gators on the road by a score of 1-0. In all, UCF is scheduled to face a total of five in-state opponents on the year.

BERCHON TABBED BIG 12 FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
UCF redshirt freshman midfielder Gabi Berchon was named the Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Week following a standout performance that included her first collegiate brace and a dramatic game-winning goal against LSU.

The Porto Alegre, Brazil native helped give UCF an early lead in the match, as she found the back of the net on an assist from Honoka Hamano in the fifth minute. With the game all knotted up at 1-1 and under 30 seconds remaining in the match, Rajanah Reed fed a cross into the box and Berchon fired a shot from the center of the box with 17 seconds to go but LSU’s keeper was there to make the save. The ball then bounced over to Tyra Eriksen and she got off another shot that was again saved, but the ball deflected to Berchon right in front of the goal and she was able to slot it home with 11 seconds remaining for the dramatic game winner. The weekly conference honor marked UCF's first of the year and also the first of the career for Berchon.

UP NEXT FOR UCF
Following Thursday’s match, the Knights will head to Jacksonville for their final non-conference contest of the season on Thursday, Sept. 11 at North Florida. UCF will then open its third season of Big 12 Conference competition on Thursday, Sept. 18 when West Virginia visits the UCF Soccer Complex.

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.