GAINESVILLE, Fla. –  Soccer is a game of taking advantage of the opportunities presented. Thursday, Central Florida did just that to score late and leave the Donald R. Dizney Stadium with a 1-0 win over the Gators..
 
UCF entered the match as one of the 33 undefeated teams remaining after the season’s opening two weeks.
 
Tonight’s Scoring:
After some near chances by both teams, the Knights scored the event’s only goal in the 87th minute. The play start with a ball sent from the top of the Knights defensive third to the Gators defensive third. In the attempt to win control of the ball, it deflected off UCF’s Liz Worden. The ball bounced wide to the right where Rajanah Reed touched it forward and followed it into the box for a 14-yard score.
 
Among Florida’s opportunities Thursday included senior Njeri Butts’ second half near miss and redshirt sophomore Megan Hinnenkamp’s wide open run down the right side in the 82nd minute getting negated with the Gators first offsides call of the season.  
 
“This was an SEC like game, and we have been on both ends of games like this, where something kind of almost out of your control falls and you just have to win your moments. We said in pre-game, that both teams are going to have moments, and we have to make sure and win our moments. And unfortunately, that one moment cost us,” Florida Head Coach Samantha Bohon said. “But I’m not mad at all. In fact, the opposite. I’m very positive about our team. We came in here and executed and again, I think this will help us moving forward. But, man, it stings, because we just don’t feel like we deserve that result. But that’s the game of soccer, and you gotta give UCF credit, they finished their chance.
 
“I thought we were really sound defensively in the first half, but we weren’t great with the ball in possession. So we challenged them at halftime. We’re doing great defensively. We just need to do a better job of when we went forward, keeping and connecting. I think you saw that was pretty significant. The possession was very clearly in our offensive half for most of that second half,” she continued. “So really happy with their adjustments from first half to second half. Some really good composure, some good soccer, and UCF is a good team, so for us to out possess them speaks volumes for this group.”
 

Records:
Florida: 2-2, 0-0-0 SEC
Central Florida: 5-0, 0-0-0 Big 12
 
Series Record:
Florida leads 14-8-2
 
Next Up:
Florida heads north to close August action Sunday at Maryland (4-1, 0-0 Big Ten). The Terrapins only loss came last Sunday at Old Dominion (2-0) and own a 4-0 home record with wins over Lehigh (3-0), Saint Francis (5-0), Maryland-Baltimore County (1-0) and Navy (2-1).
 
at Maryland
Date: Sunday, Aug. 31
Time: Noon ET
Site: Ludwig Field (7,000)
Stream: Big Ten + with Dash Tischler and Jona Jancewicz calling the action
StatBroadcast
Tickets: $14-19
 
Central Florida (5-0, 0-0 Big 12) at Florida (2-2, 0-0 SEC)
Stadium: Donald R. Dizney Stadium (850)
Weather: 84 degrees, light rain, winds NE at 6 mph
 

 
Scoring Summary:

 
Shots: Central Florida 11, Florida 11
Saves: Central Florida 6 (Genesis Perez Watson 6); Florida 4 (Paloma Peña 2; Jayden Emmanuel 2)
 
Offsides: Central Florida 3, UF 1
 
Cautions:
None