ORLANDO – Fresh off a draw against No. 19 Texas Tech in the Big 12 opener last week, the No. 23 UCF women’s soccer team will head to Utah this week to first face BYU in Provo on Thursday night.
Thursday’s contest is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET/7 p.m. MT at BYU’s South Field. The match will air live on ESPN+ and live stats can be followed by visiting UCF.StatBroadcast.com.
The Knights will enter the match with a 5-1-1 overall record and a 0-0-1 mark in Big 12 play after rallying to draw No. 19 Texas Tech in their conference opener last week. Following the result, UCF moved up a couple of spots in this week’s IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll to No. 23. The ranking marks the fourth week this season that the Knights have appeared in the national poll. The NCAA also released its first RPI rankings of the season this week, with UCF checking in at No. 29 nationally.
Trailing by a goal in each half, the Black and Gold responded with equalizers from Naomi Clark and Katsi Bengoa to earn a 2-2 draw with Texas Tech in the conference opener at home last Thursday.
With Tech holding a one-goal lead and controlling the early stages of the match, senior striker Clark found the back of the net for her Big 12-leading seventh goal of the season in the 40th minute to level the score. Gabi Berchon played a pass ahead to Alysiah Lockette on the left side of the box, and Lockette slotted a ball across the box to a streaking Clark for the score.
With the Red Raiders later holding to a 2-1 advantage in the second half, the Knights again responded with a game-tying goal from Bengoa in the 72nd minute. Ainsley Moy fed a beautiful pass ahead in the box to Bengoa and the junior midfielder managed to bury home her first collegiate goal to tie things up for good.
Despite being outshot on the night (19-4) UCF managed to put away two of its four shots to earn the draw.
UCF goalkeeper Kaïna Cesar recorded a season-high six saves to move to 2-0-1 in goal on the season and help the Black and Gold come away with the draw.
With the draw, the Knights improved to 2-0-2 in Big 12 openers since joining the league prior to the 2023 season.
SEASON LEADERS
With another goal last week, senior Naomi Clark continues to lead the Big 12 Conference with seven goals on the season. She also leads the league in goals per game (1.00) and points per game (2.29). Nationally, Clark ranks seventh in goals per game and eighth in points per game. Junior midfielder Ainsley Moy added another assist last time out and leads the Knights with five on the season. Her five assists rank second in the Big 12 and 22nd nationally. Junior goalkeeper Kaïna Cesar leads UCF between the posts with 13 saves and a .722 save percentage.
KNIGHTS IN THE TOP 25
UCF finds itself in the Top 25 for the fourth time this season, checking in at No. 23 in the IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Week 6 Top 25 Poll. The Knights moved up two spots after coming in at No. 25 last week. UCF has climbed as high as No. 13 this season after previously being ranked No. 14 on Aug. 25 and No. 13 on Sept. 1.
The No. 13 ranking marked UCF’s highest since the 2017 season. The Knights are 1-1-1 this season when nationally ranked and 81-32-20 all-time as a ranked team, including a 43-14-10 mark at home.
YOUR BIG 12 LEADER
Transfer forward Naomi Clark has continued her fantastic first impression to Knight Nation, as she’s the Big 12 leader in a number of offensive categories. The Parker, Colorado, native registered all three goals in the Knights’ 3-1 win on Aug. 27 versus UAB, notching her first career hat trick and UCF’s first since Sept. 30, 2018. Most recently, Clark notched a goal in UCF’s 2-2 draw versus Texas Tech on Sept. 17.
The senior’s seven goals through UCF’s seven games are good enough to lead the Big 12 Conference. She also tops the league in goals per game (1.00) and points per game (2.26). Her 16 points and her 1.86 shots on goal average rank her second in the league, while her 25 shots and 3.57 shots per game ranks fourth in the league. Nationally, she is seventh in goals per game and is eighth in points per game.
ROAD CONFERENCE OPENERS UNDER ROBERTS SAHAYDAK
The Black and Gold will enter Thursday’s contest with a 5-4-4 record in road conference openers under head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak. UCF is 1-2-0 in Big 12 Conference road openers, falling to Arizona in 2025 and Kansas in 2024, while defeating Houston 1-0 for the program’s first Big 12 road victory on Sept. 21, 2023.
ABOUT BYU
The Cougars will host the Knights with a 4-2-2 record on the season and an 0-0-1 Big 12 clip, and currently receiving votes for the IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Poll. Earlier this season, BYU was ranked as high as No. 9 in both the Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer polls. The Cougars opened Big 12 play last week with a 1-1 draw at Arizona. Overall, BYU has picked up wins over UCLA, USC, Minnesota and Colorado State, while suffering losses to Wisconsin and Utah State. The Cougars’ other draw came against Oklahoma.
Notably, BYU has yet to drop a match at home this season, as they enter Thursday’s match with a 3-0-1 mark at South Field. Historically, the Cougars have proved to be a formidable foe at home, as they hold an impressive 261-34-21 record and 176 shutouts in Provo.
BYU was picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 this year finishing the 2025 season with a 4-5-2 conference record. This was good enough to finish eighth in the conference standings, their lowest finish since entering the Big 12 in 2023. BYU went on to win the 2025 Big 12 Tournament on their way to an eighth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, where their season came to a close after a Sweet 16 loss to No. 1 ranked Stanford.
Junior forward/midfielder Emma Hamberlin leads the way in points and goals for the Cougars with six and three, respectively. These totals have already surpassed her previous career highs, as Hamberlin had yet to score a goal prior to this season and had only amassed two points in both her freshman and sophomore years. Senior and 2025 Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the Big 12 Tournament Chelsea Patterson has started all eight games in goal, with 19 saves and a .792 save percentage.
BYU is led by head coach Jennifer Rockwood, who is in the midst of her 32nd and final season at the helm in Provo. As the program’s first and only head coach, she has recorded a total record of 479-145-70, good enough for a winning percentage of .741. Under her watch, the Cougars have made 26 NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching the National Championship match in 2021, where they lost to No. 1 ranked Florida State on penalty kicks.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. BYU
Thursday's contest will mark the fourth all-time meeting between the Knights and Cougars and just the second at South Field in Provo. BYU will enter play holding to a 2-1-0 series advantage and a 1-0-0 record in Provo after pulling out a 3-2 contest at South Field in 2023. UCF returned the favor last season, however, with a 2-1 victory in Orlando thanks to a brace from former Knight Liz Worden.
NAOMI CLARK TABBED BIG 12 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior forward Naomi Clark was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 2 after notching her first career hat trick in UCF’s win over UAB. The conference weekly honor marked the first of the career for Clark and the first of the season for the Knights.
CLARK EARNS TOP DRAWER SOCCER TEAM OF THE WEEK HONORABLE MENTION HONORS
Senior forward Naomi Clark also received honorable mention Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week accolades on Sept. 1 after recording her first career hat trick against UAB. The TDS Team of the Week honor marks the second of Clark’s career, as she previously earned the recognition last August while playing for Oklahoma.
UNDEFEATED AGAINST SUNSHINE STATE FOES
UCF went a perfect 3-0 on the season versus Sunshine State opponents with wins over Florida, South Florida and North Florida. The Knights started the season with a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over the Gators and followed that up with a 2-0 victory at USF the following week. After having a match at FIU postponed due to heavy rainfall and unplayable field conditions, UCF then capped in-state play with a 1-0 home win over UNF.
The Knights are now 7-1-0 against Sunshine State opponents over the last two years.
MAKE THAT FIVE STRAIGHT AGAINST SEC OPPONENTS
The Knights hold wins over both Florida and No. 21 LSU on the season to move their win streak over SEC opponents to five. UCF has defeated both Florida and LSU twice during the streak, as well as No. 8 Georgia at home in 2024.
The Black and Gold’s last non-victory against an opponent from the SEC was Aug. 25, 2024, when they drew with Florida in Gainesville. The Knights’ last loss to an SEC foe came on Aug. 24, 2023, at Georgia.
COACH TIFF TO REPRESENT USWNT AT 2027 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
UCF head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak has rejoined the U.S. Women's National Team as a current assistant coach on Emma Hayes' staff. Roberts Sahaydak has been with the USWNT a number of times during 2026, as she took part in the team's January Camp, in February for the SheBelieves Cup, in April for the April Camp (friendlies vs. Japan), and in June for the June Camp (friendlies vs. Brazil). She will remain on staff and represent her home nation at the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil.
As a player, Roberts Sahaydak won both Olympic Gold (1996) and the 1999 World Cup with the USWNT. She went on to earn 112 caps for her country. She also previously spent time as an assistant coach for the USWNT in 2022 and 2023 for the 2023 Women's World Cup that was held in Australia/New Zealand.
FRESHMAN DANIELA OCAMPO TOOK PART IN 2026 FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP
Freshman midfielder Daniela Ocampo represented her home nation of Costa Rica at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup from Sept. 5-27 in Poland.
Despite Costa Rica having their run come to a close in the group stage with an 0-3 record, Ocampo started all three matches for Costa Rica. The national appearance wasn’t the first for Ocampo, as she previously competed for Costa Rica at both the 2024 U-20 World Cup as well as the 2025 U-17 World Cup where she was a team captain for her home nation.
MOST CURRENT PROS IN THE BIG 12
UCF women's soccer has the most current pros of any Big 12 institution with 28. Former goalkeeper Genesis Perez Watson was the latest Knight to go pro as the 2025 All-Big 12 Second Team honoree signed a professional contract with Atlético Madrid of the Spanish Liga F this summer.
Fellow 2025 All-Big 12 honorees Liz Worden and Rajanah Reed also went pro, as Worden plays for Racing Power FC of Liga BPI and Reed for Dallas Trinity FC of the USL Super League.
UP NEXT
The Knights will continue the trip by heading north on I-15 to face Utah on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET/noon MT at Ute Field in Salt Lake City. Following Sunday’s contest, UCF will return to Orlando to host No. 13/8 Colorado for the Space Game on Friday, Oct. 2.
Heading to Provo for a late-night battle with BYU ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/2FWYaatzzu
— UCF Women's Soccer (@UCF_WSoccer) September 22, 2026