LEXINGTON, Ky. – Moments after the redshirt sophomore came through for his team with the most crucial goal of his young career, chants of his last name echoed off the walls of the visiting team locker room at the Bell Soccer Complex.
“HAN-SEN! HAN-SEN! HAN-SEN!”
Just minutes earlier, Drew Hansen authored the UCF men’s soccer team’s most pivotal result of the year, scoring a game-winning goal in the 104th minute of action to lift his squad to a 3-2 double-overtime come-from-behind victory over fourth-seeded Georgia Southern in the opening round of the 2025 Sun Belt Men’s Soccer Championship.
Hansen’s timely score in the 104th minute of action punctuated the team’s dramatic Sunday evening comeback win, one that saw the Black and Gold erase a 2-0 second-half deficit to earn the first Sun Belt Conference Tournament win in program history.
The winning effort also represented the team’s first multi-goal comeback win since the 2018 Knights bested the UConn Huskies, also by a 3-2 margin in double overtime, in the opening round of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Orlando Nov. 8.
“What we reference a lot is it’s tournament play, and anything can happen,” Hansen said. “When that second one goes in, it’s easy to give up, but we know that it’s knockout play. When you go down 2-0, you see how quickly things change. The biggest thing was we didn’t give up.”
The Knights’ Sunday win also marked the team’s sixth in its last nine games, moving to 6-1-2 since the beginning of October, as well as its second triumph in as many tries over Georgia Southern after UCF toppled the then-No. 11 Eagles in Orlando, 3-0, Oct. 10.
“I’m really proud of this group,” head coach Scott Calabrese said. “To go down and to be able to fight back shows the character and belief of the group. We suffered a lot of adversity throughout the year, especially early on. It showed what we’re made of.”
Mired in a 2-0 second-half hole, the Knights kept fighting.
It started with midfielder Clarence Awoudor’s sixth goal of the fall in the 64th minute, when the senior received a feed from freshman defender Mateus Dejesus and snuck a shot inside the near goalpost past Eagles keeper Nate Martinez.
Less than three minutes later, the Knights’ leading goal-scorer throughout the regular season, Lilian Ricol, came through with the equalizer, a beautifully-placed shot from outside the 18-yard box that floated just above Martinez’s reach.
Ricol’s score, his 10th of the campaign, also gave the Knights their first double-digit goal-scorer since Lucca Dourado netted 11 throughout the 2022 slate.
“The parity within this league is incredible,” Calabrese continued. “We see that during regular-season play, and the quality of the play in this league and standard of coaching in this league is exceptional. It’s so competitive and the margins are so fine. We’re happy we came out on the right side of it.”
The two sides battled through a scoreless stalemate throughout the first 10-minute overtime period before cashing in on their opportunity early in the second extra frame.
Hansen sent a feed Ricol’s way just outside the six-yard box, and though the latter’s shot attempt was stopped by Martinez, the Georgia Southern keeper could not contain the rebound off his save.
Hansen needed just two quick strides to his right and sent the Knights to the semifinal round with a quick right-footed strike.
I’m proud of this team, and excited that we get to stay in beautiful, sunny, warm Kentucky a little longer,” Calabrese quipped.
UP NEXT
The Knights earned a Sun Belt semifinal matchup with 2025 regular-season champion and No. 1 overall seed Kentucky Wednesday, Nov. 12. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. from the Bell Soccer Complex in Lexington, and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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.