Written by José Terrassa.
The UCF Knights women’s soccer team has fought its way into the NCAA Tournament with grit, balance, and momentum, hosting Maine at home in the first round.
Under head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak, the Knights wrapped up the regular season with an impressive 11-3-5 overall record and a 5-1-5 mark in Big 12 play, remaining unbeaten in their final nine matches before the conference tournament.
They showed resilience all season, highlighted by a statement 2-1 win over No. 16 Baylor on Senior Night.
Although UCF’s Big 12 Tournament run ended early in a tough 3-2 loss to Colorado after leading 2-0, their strong defensive record —conceding just seven goals in league play —helped secure an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Key players like senior forward Rajanah Reed, who has been one of the top scorers with seven goals, and First-Team All-Big 12 selection Liz Worden have been driving forces in the attack.
At the same time, goalkeeper Genesis Perez Watson and defender Jada Silvest have anchored one of the stingiest defenses in the conference.
As a result of their consistent play, UCF earned the No. 7 seed in its bracket and will host the America East champion, Maine Black Bears, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, November 14, at the UCF Soccer & Track Complex.
This marks the Knights’ first time hosting a tournament match since 2017, a testament to their hard work and steady rise this season.
With home-field advantage and a roster full of dangerous talent, the Knights are poised to make a serious postseason run if they can maintain their composure and finishing touch in front of the goal.
