The UCF women’s soccer team is going to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championships after upsetting two of the nation’s top soccer programs in Florida and North Carolina.
It will be the team’s first berth in the Elite 8 since 1987.
UNC and Florida have combined for 22 national championships. The Tar Heels won the championship in 2008 and 2009.
On Friday night, UCF met the No. 2 seeded Florida Gators in Gainesville. The Knights got into the scoring action very early. Just five minutes into the match, UCF took the 1-0 lead after Madison Barney scored her first career goal after Tishia Jewell sent a cross from the sideline to the front of the goal.
Florida (17-7-0) tied the match 15 minutes later with a header that went over the arms of UCF goalie Aline Reis.
The Knights were playing very aggressive, which led to another goal for them with 12 minutes remaining in the half. Kristina Trujic sent an arching shot over the UF goalie to give the Knights a 2-1 lead heading into the half.
About 25 minutes into the second half, UCF forward Nicolette Radovcic dribbled through the UF defense and around the goalie to score her team-leading ninth goal of the season.
This gave UCF a commanding lead, and the Knights held on for the victory, winning 3-2.
UCF pulled off another upset on Sunday night, beating No. 3 seed North Carolina (13-5-1) in penalty kicks 5-4. Reis made two diving stops in PK’s to secure the victory for the Knights (13-4-6). Her save on the sixth shot was the game-winning save and could arguably be the most memorable save of her career.
“I tried to read her, but I don’t know, I just trusted,” Reis said in a press release from UCFathletics.com. “Something inside of me told me to jump there. It happened so fast, and I am so happy right now that I can’t describe it. Not only because of the victory, but just playing UNC was a great honor, and the entire environment with all the fans and alumni. This is one of the greatest soccer moments of my life.”
The first score of the game came at the 71-minute mark when UCF sophomore Kristina Trujic blasted a 20-foot shot over the UNC keeper. The Tar Heels tied the game up at one apiece 14 minutes later.
No scoring in both overtime periods led to penalty kicks where the Knights won 5-4.
It is the first time in history that UCF has lasted longer in the tournament than UNC. Since head coach Amanda Cromwell has taken over as coach 13 years ago, it is the furthest the team has made it in the postseason, but the Knights aren’t finished yet.
UCF will face top-seeded Wake Forest (17-3-4) on Friday night in Winston-Salem, NC. In their first meeting of the season on August 21, Wake Forest defeated UCF 1-0 in Orlando.
