Men's Soccer to host Jacksonville in Penultimate Non-Conference Matchup

ORLANDO – After completing its second away trip of the season this past week, the UCF men’s soccer team is back at home Thursday, Sept. 11, to face the Jacksonville Dolphins at the UCF Soccer Complex.

The Knights come into their third home game of the year looking to get back in the win column after picking up their first draw of the season against the No. 22 South Florida Bulls last Thursday, Sept. 4. 

Clarence Awoudor’s lone goal in Tampa earned the Knights a 1-1 draw, highlighting their strong offensive efforts, finishing the game with season highs in total shot attempts (19) and shots on goal (10) – 11 and 8 more than the Bulls on the night, respectively.

The goal by Awoudor marked the second in two games for the Knights midfielder. The Saint-Lo, France native also has a pair of assists on the season, contributing to his 6 total points – tied for fourth most in the Sun Belt.

Along with Awoudor, junior forward Lilian Ricol has also showcased strong offensive performances so far this season, scoring two goals and ranking first in the Sun Belt in shot accuracy. The French forward also leads UCF in shots on goal per game with an even 2.00.

Even with a dominant offensive performance, UCF’s draw in Tampa wouldn’t have been possible without once again relying on Spanish keeper Juanvi Muñoz, who made an incredible save in the dying moments to keep the score level.

The senior goalkeeper, who ranks tied for fourth in the Sun Belt in total saves (13), enters Thursday’s match with one clean sheet already under his belt this season and eight in his UCF career, good for a share of 10th on the program’s all-time list with Tuomas Tuomilehto.

The Bulls were the Knights’ fourth opponent out of their first five to appear in one of the first three United Soccer Coaches’ top 25 polls. In the one match against an opponent that hasn’t been ranked this season, UCF prevailed 4-0 against UTRGV.

Though also not ranked, Thursday’s opponents come into the game as the 19th-ranked scoring offense in the nation. The Jacksonville Dolphins have scored an average of 2.4 goals per game while giving up just 0.8.

The Black and Gold hold a 22-13-4 record over the Dolphins, with the last matchup being a convincing 8-1 Knights win. The Oct. 2, 2018, clash marks the program’s biggest-ever win under Coach Scott Calabrese, who holds a 7-2-0 career record against Jacksonville. 

The Dolphins arrive in Orlando with a 2-2-1 record, matching their best start to a season since 2022. Jacksonville is led by seniors Nicolas Aanensen Karlsen (F) and Juan Pablo Gonzalez (D), who have netted three and two goals, respectively, thus far. 

Jacksonville began its season with a narrow 2-1 loss at Grand Canyon, before bouncing back at home with a convincing 9-1 win vs Trinity College of Jacksonville. The Dolphins would then fall to in-state opponent, then-No. 22 FAU, away, before once more bouncing back at home, this time against UTRGV, 2-0. 

Their most recent matchup came against Memphis at home, where goalkeeper Simen Havig came up big with four saves to keep the score level at 0-0 for the team’s first draw this fall.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. from the UCF Soccer Complex Thursday night and will be streamed 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.