ORLANDO – After completing their 2025 Sun Belt home opener, the UCF men’s soccer team is headed to Columbia, South Carolina to face off against the South Carolina Gamecocks Oct. 4.
The Knights (2-5-1, 0-2-0 Sun Belt) most recently fell to No. 10 West Virginia at home this past Sunday, keeping the Mountaineers scoreless for the first half before the visitors scored the match’s lone goal in the final 45 minutes.
Despite the losing result, the Knights held the Mountaineers to a single score, the fewest allowed by UCF’s defense against a ranked opponent this season, matching their draw at South Florida Sept. 4.
“From a defensive standpoint, we didn’t allow a lot, which is a good sign,” noted head coach Scott Calabrese. The Mountaineers represented UCF’s sixth out of eight opponents that have earned a spot within the United Soccer Coaches top 25 this season.
Senior goalkeeper Juanvi Muñoz led UCF’s defensive efforts Sunday night, totaling four big saves to keep the Mountaineers at just one goal. Muñoz has now totaled 23 saves over the course of the season, the fifth highest in the Sun Belt and topping his 2024 total of 19.
Clarence Awoudor, the Knights’ points leader through eight contests, has racked up a total of five assists so far this season, the second most in the Sun Belt. The only member of the conference to outrank him is Marcus Caldeira of West Virginia, with a total of six. Awoudor also boasts an average of 0.63 assists per game, placing him third in the conference and 15th in the country. The Saint-Lo, France native is just two assists away from besting his career high of seven, which he set during the 2024 season.
The Knights are looking for a reset during their next match after hitting season lows of just four shot attempts and no shots on goal against West Virginia. They were kept scoreless by the Mountaineers, which is also a first for the Knights in 2025.
“We have to show up with the right intensity, and I think that UCF has the level to be right there,” Muñoz said. “We have to be honest with ourselves, and I think that if we want to be at the top, we have to do better.”
South Carolina (7-3-1, 1-0-1 Sun Belt) currently stands fourth in the Sun Belt. UCF has an extensive history with the Gamecocks and an overall record of 4-9-4. While South Carolina holds the all-time lead in the series, the Knights hold a 2-1-0 lead in the past two seasons as Sun Belt Conference mates, as well as a 3-1-0 mark in the Scott Calabrese era.
The last Knights-Gamecocks matchup on Nov. 1, 2024 resulted in a 4-0 shutout for the Knights, featuring three goals from forward Lucca Dourado, representing his first career hat trick, and two saves from Muñoz.
The Knights also defeated the Gamecocks on Oct. 22, 2023, UCF’s debut season in the Sun Belt and the last time the teams competed in South Carolina. The tight 3-2 match featured two back-to-back goals in the 64th and 65th minutes from Dourado and Anderson Rosa. Sophomore forward Emmanuel Bam assisted both of these goals, giving the Knights a 3-0 lead in the second half.
Starting the season 7-3-1, South Carolina comes into this match on the heels of two shutout wins against Queens (NC) and James Madison, thanks to the defensive work of goalkeeper Filip Versterre and midfielder Ethan Ballek.
Ballek currently leads the Sun Belt in shots per game and ranks fourth in total assists and goals. The senior from Timnath, Colorado starred on the Sun Belt All-Conference Second Team and the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Second Team last season.
Kickoff for the match is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday from the Gamecock Soccer Complex in Columbia, SC 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.