ORLANDO – The UCF men’s soccer team brought a one-goal lead into the halftime break, but could not build upon its advantage in an eventual 1-1 draw with the Kentucky Wildcats at the UCF Soccer Complex Sunday afternoon.
The result ensures the Knights (4-2-3, 0-1-1 Sun Belt) remained unbeaten in seven of their first nine contests this fall, and the squad picked up its first point in the Sun Belt regular-season table as well.
“The problem with the second half was the start,” said head coach Scott Calabrese. “We didn’t deal with a moment when the ball was just bouncing around, and there were a lot of those moments throughout the game. Our quality is better than what we’re displaying, but we’re making too many technical errors unpressured. I’ve seen it from the players, what their standard is, and we weren’t able to do that tonight.”
Much like their most recent tilt in DeLand against Stetson Sept. 22, the Black and Gold broke the ice first in the 31st minute of action. Freshman Alex Partera served a corner kick into the box that rattled out to second-year Knight Younes Boudinar at the top of the 18-yard box.
The midfielder served his attack through the crowd in front of the goalmouth, and a pair of bounces saw the ball past Wildcats (0-5-3, 0-1-1 Sun Belt) goalkeeper Benjamin Rasmussen. The goal represented Boudinar’s first of the season and second of his career, joining his first career Division I goal against Bradley Oct. 14, 2025.
Boudinar also becomes UCF’s eighth different goal-scorer through nine games, joining Drew Hansen, Alex Partera, Kenn Muendo, Takahiro Fujita, Joey Mueller, Hugo Vogel and Joachim Kyei.
Though Kentucky managed an equalizer in the opening minute of the second half, UCF defensively yielded little else, recording its eighth match of its first nine that has seen the team allow one or fewer goals, and the Wildcats produced just seven total shot attempts in the contest.
UP NEXT
UCF will welcome the Marshall Thundering Herd to Orlando in the teams’ first meeting since the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship match in Huntington, West Virginia. Opening kick is set for 7 p.m. from the UCF Soccer Complex Saturday, Oct. 3 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 website at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.