UCF Women’s Soccer is heading back to the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament, getting a first round game this weekend against William & Mary.
UCF women’s soccer made the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament for the ninth consecutive season as the Knights will host an NCAA tournament game for the fifth consecutive season. UCF will host William & Mary on Saturday night at 7 p.m. at UCF Soccer Complex.
UCF makes the NCAA tournament for the 20th time, becoming the 14th school to make the NCAAs at least 20 times in the history of women’s college soccer.
The Knights go into the NCAA Tournament peaking at the right time with a 12-6-1 record. UCF has won six of its last seven matches with the only loss coming in double overtime against South Florida in the American Conference Tournament semifinals.
The Knights are in the same bracket as the Florida Gators, which entered as a 2-seed and will host Western Michigan. If UCF beats William & Mary, it will more then likely travel to face Florida in Gainesville. The Gators defeated the Knights in Orlando in the season opener on August 21st 2-0.
UCF coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak and associate head coach Tim Sahaydak are familiar with William & Mary as the Sahaydaks spent six years in the CAA as the head coaches at VCU, a conference rival to William & Mary. Roberts Sahaydak also played against William & Mary coach John Daly when she was a standout player for North Carolina from 1995-98.
UCF and William & Mary have met once before in the NCAA tournament in the first round back in 1984 in Orlando. Led by Freshman Michelle Akers the Knights won over William & Mary 3-1.
In case you missed my interview with Sahaydak from Oct. 24 on the Insiders Radio Show on 1080 AM SportsTalkFlorida in Orlando. You can listen to it here as Sahaydak talked about team’s turnaround during the season as well as Orlando getting a new women pro soccer franchise.
UCF News and Notes
- UCF men’s soccer season came to an end in Tulsa on Saturday night at the Quarterfinals of the American Conference Tournament losing on penalty kicks 4-2. UCF senior forward Hadji Barry scored two goals for the Knights in regulation only to see Tulsa respond each time to send it to overtime. The Knights season ends with a record of 7-8-2.
- UCF volleyball’s five-game win streak came to an end Sunday at home against East Carolina losing in five sets. The loss drops the Knights to 14-12 overall and 8-6 in the American Conference, tied for third place in the conference. The Knights head to the road this weekend to take on Temple and UConn, whom UCF is in a battle for second place.
- UCF softball wrapped up the Fall Ball season with the Black and Gold game won by team Gold 6-0. Senior DP Jessica Uvjari the 2014 American Player of Year took All-American pitcher Shelby Turnier deep for a 2-run home run in the bottom of the third inning to break the game open for team Gold. The Knights now get ready for the 2016 season which will begin in February at home. UCF went 50-9 last season winning the American Conference regular season and conference tournament championships. The Knights finished 16th in the final rankings and return most of the team including Turnier who was the NCAA’s ERA champion and First Team All-American along with six returning starters on offense from last season. You can listen to the encore of the first ever broadcast of the UCF Black and Gold fall ball game on UCFKnights.com right here.
