ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Pride defeated the University of Central Florida 3-0 in their second preseason match at the UCF Soccer Complex on March 3.

Forward Sydney Leroux scored two goals in the first half for the Pride while midfielder Christine Nairn added the final goal in the second half. The defense also played its part, keeping UCF at bay with just one shot on goal.

“The more minutes we can get under our belt as a team, it’ll help us in the long run,” Nairn said after the match. “We had some players come in and really impact the game, and I think we’re starting to put the pieces together, which is exciting.”

Bridget Callahan, Kayla Adamek and Julia Moore all earned playing time in the scrimmage against UCF, the trio’s alma mater. Callahan, Adamek and Moore helped the Knights to an undefeated conference record and a top-10 finish last season. Callahan, the Pride’s first trialist of 2018, played 45 of the 50 minutes, and Adamek and Moore came on for the final five minutes.

The former Knights aren’t just satisfied with getting playing time; they’re making an impact on the team and fighting for a spot on the roster.

“All the UCF girls have been great. They’ve come in and just absolutely worked their tails off,” Nairn said. “They’re coming out here making us better players, and that’s all we can ask for.”

Both teams were not at full strength, as the Pride have nine players away on international duty. As for the Knights, they were missing players who were key to their eighth-ranked team in 2017, including Dina Orschmann, Kathellen Sousa, Saga Fredriksson, Callahan and Adamek.

Orlando held the majority of the possession in the first 20 minutes, rarely allowing UCF to cross midfield with the ball.

The constant possession and pressure in the UCF half of the field finally paid off for the Pride in the 14th minute, as Leroux found the back of the net for the first time. Just five minutes later, Leroux scored again for her third goal of the preseason, doubling the Pride’s lead.

“I think what we’ve seen the past two games are the real qualities that Syd brings to the team,” Pride head coach Tom Sermanni said after the win. “Not just the quality of finishing, but the physical presence up front is something that will be a big asset for us.”

Led by midfielder Jessica Taylor, the Knights finished the first 25-minute period on the attack. In the final five minutes, UCF sent in multiple attacking crosses that were cleared, but the Knights’ effort ended when Taylor was called for offside.

UCF came out strong to start off the second half, but the Pride quickly regrouped and began peppering the UCF net again.

After winning a corner in the third minute of the second period, a poor clearance from the Knights’ defense led to Leroux having a chance for a hat-trick, but her shot was saved by goalkeeper Chloe N’Gazi.

In the eighth minute, though, a foul on the edge of the box set up a free kick for Nairn. Directly off the free kick, she found the top, far corner of the net, giving the Pride a three-goal advantage, and the score would remain that way for the rest of the match.

“I think the key thing is continuing to improve the tempo of how we do things,” Sermanni said. “We’re still a ways away from being match-fit.”

Who’s Next?

Next up, the Pride will take on the University of South Florida on Thursday in Tampa for their final preseason match.

For more one the Pride, as they conclude their preseason in Tampa, follow Kevin Craig on Twitter at @TheKCraig.