No. 7 UCF Draws with USF, Wins AAC Regular-season Title

The No. 7 UCF Knights drew with the USF Bulls but won the American Athletic Conference regular-season, their 22nd in program history.

By
Victor Tan
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University of Central Florida forward Morgan Ferrara shoots the ball during a 1-1 draw with the USF Bulls at the UCF Soccer & Track Complex on Friday, Oct. 27, 2017. (Photo by Victor Tan / New Day Review)
(Photo by Victor Tan / New Day Review)

Match Recap

ORLANDO, Fla. – For most of the season, the No. 7 UCF Knights dominated their opponents. But in a rivalry match with the USF Bulls, more than three points was on the line. The Knights (12-1-2, 8-0-1 in American Athletic Conference) drew with the Bulls (11-4-0, 7-2-0 in AAC) 1-1 in double overtime to win the AAC regular-season title and the rights to host the upcoming AAC Tournament Friday night in front of a season-high 1,410 fans at the UCF Soccer & Track Complex.

“I’m really proud of this team, and, you know, a lot of credit to South Florida. I mean, every time we play South Florida, it is like this,” Knights head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak said after the draw. “My heart is beating too fast; I’m stressful; I’m sure I have more grey hairs, now. And they’re such a competitive team, and they made us better tonight. They pushed us in a way we haven’t pushed in a long time, and we really needed that, and so we’re thankful ‘cause they made us better today.”

Trailing 1-0 entering the second half, UCF earned its equalizer in the first 13 minutes of the second half. From about 20 yards past the midfield line, Morgan Ferrara, the Knights’ leading goal-scorer with 12, sent a long ball down the middle-left flank to Dina Orschmann. The first-year German Knight settled the ball around the Bulls defender and slotted it through with her right foot for the tying goal in the 58th minute.

“Their defense was really strong. They were really tight marked on me, so I knew that I had to come back to get the ball with my feet,” Ferrara said after the match. “And I saw Dina making a run in behind, and she’s just so calm on the ball. And it’s just been so great. She’s a great addition to the team and just an easy for her.”

UCF’s Kayla Adamek, who is second in goals for the Knights this season with nine, nearly had a game-winner in the 88th minute. Orschmann drove the ball to the top of the box before sliding it to Adamek on the right flank. Her ensuing shot ricocheted off USF goalkeeper Kat Elliott for her ninth save of the game.

“The good thing is that we’ve been [down] a few times this year, and we’ve always been resilient, and we’ve come back every single time,” Roberst Sahaydak said. “Like I said, we’ve been through it, and we’re like, ‘Okay. Well, it’s just another time, and we’re gonna get through it.’

“And then we didn’t make a lot of adjustments for the second half. Honestly, it was just a reminder more than anything that we need to keep the ball. We’re much better when we have the ball. It is our best defense, and I think we lost that a little bit with how combative the game was and how much was on the line.”

The Bulls scored the opening goal of the match in the final 10 seconds of the first half. Andrea Hauksdottir went left on the 45th-minute penalty kick for a 1-0 lead, as Knights goalkeeper Vera Varis went the opposite direction.

“Tiff came [into halftime], and she’s like, ‘I’m proud of you guys. That was a good half. A crappy call, but it’s over with; it’s done. Let’s move on. Hang in there. Stay together. Stick to the game plan,’” Ferrara said. “And she was right. We stuck to the plan, and we scored a goal—just how we play.

“We didn’t change our game; we didn’t get too anxious. We stayed calm and got back in it.”

UCF had some of its best chances early in the match, as the Knights out-shot the Bulls 8-4 (5-3 on-target). The Knights’ best chance in the first half was created by Zandy Soree. She found Ferrara for a would-be goal, but an offside call negated the 19th-minute effort.

Ferrara was busy from the start, as she opened the game with an on-target shot that forced Elliott make a diving save. That attempt came off a free kick from the top of the box in the third minute.

In the 12th minute, Orschmann sprung free for a shot inside the box. Her close-range effort went over the top of the net, as she grabbed her head in disbelief.

“I was crushed [when my goal was called back],” Ferrara said. “But I knew—it’s gonna happen… I think that changed the momentum of the game. I think we got more momentum after that. It stinks that it didn’t count, but as long as we came out with the tie, the conference championship at the end of the game, that’s all that matters.”

Woman of the Match: F Morgan Ferrara

Ferrara’s third assist of the season helped the Knights equalize in the 58th minute. She also recorded a team-high four shots (three on-target) in 73 minutes of play. Ferrara leads the Knights in goals with 12 and has a team-high six game-winning goals in 2017.

What’s next?

The Knights will host the AAC Tournament from Nov. 1 to Nov. 5. UCF will play the winner of the No. 4-No. 5 seed matchup in the semifinal on Nov. 3.

Highlights

NDR Notes

  • Five Knights played 108 minutes.
  • Ferrara recorded her third assist of the season.
  • Orschmann scored her sixth goal of the year.
  • This is the Knights’ 22nd conference championship, including tournament championships.

Scoring

Time Team Goal-scorer Assisted by
45’ USF Bulls Andrea Hauksdottir PENALTY
58’ UCF Knights Dina Orschmann Morgan Ferrara

Statistics and Starting Lineups

Goals Assists Shots Shots on Goal Possession %
UCF Knights 1 1 20 10 n/a
USF Bulls 1 0 10 6 n/a

UCF starting lineup (4-3-3): Vera Varis (GK); Saga Fredriksson, Maura Aman, Kathellen Sousa, Carrie Lawrence; Katriina Kuoksa, Zandy Soree, Bridget Callahan; Dina Orschmann, Morgan Ferrara, Kayla Adamek

USF starting lineup (4-3-3): Kat Elliott (GK); Chyanne Dennis, Kelli Burney, Ocean Parr, Sabrina Wagner; F. Pelletier-Laroche, Jessica Hamrick, Andrea Hauksdottir; Kylee Burroughs, Evelyne Viens, Aubrey Megrath

For more on the Knights, as they enter the AAC Tournament, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.

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