ECU Comes Back To Beat UCF 2-1 In Overtime

Thursday, October 4

Orlando, Fla.

7:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

7-4-2; 2-3

UCF

5-4-1; 2-1

OT 1

ECU

UCF

Photo by: Rob Goldberg

October 04, 2018 | Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

ORLANDO, FLA. – Trailing with less than 15 minutes remaining, the ECU women's soccer team scored a pair of goals to stun UCF 2-1 on Thursday night in the UCF Soccer Complex.

"That is a great result for us," said head coach Jason Hamilton. "We needed to make up for one of the game we let get away earlier in the conference. We told the girls we have the ability to get a result on this trip, they just had to come out and battle."

The first half was a defensive struggle as the teams combined for just one shot on goal and only seven shots overall. Unfortunately for ECU (7-4-2, 2-3-0), UCF was able to convert that one shot on goal in the 25th minute. A miscommunication in the ECU defense allowed Stefani Sanders to intercept a pass intended for a Pirate player. Wasting no time, Sanders launched a one-time shot over a retreating Melanie Stiles and into the ECU goal.

"UCF were the better team in the first half and carried the majority of the play," Hamilton said. "We talked at half time about winning more second balls and allowing us to play in their half more and it worked."

In the second half, the game opened up as the Pirates tried to tie the score and the Knights looking to put the game away. The majority of the chances belonged to UCF (5-4-1, 2-1-0), as the Knights took 13 shots in the second half, compared to ECU's four.

As the second half went on, ECU became more and more threatening. First, Grace Doran forced UCF's goalkeeper, Vera Varis, into a save in the 69th minute before Varis denied Jenna Dages in the 72nd minute. With the momentum shifting, ECU earned a free kick deep in the UCF end. Morgan Dewey swung in a free kick from the right side and Madie Knaggs used a diving effort to direct her header past Varis and into the UCF goal. It was the second straight game Knaggs had gotten onto the scoresheet after going scoreless in her first 18 games.

Both teams had chances to take the lead in regulation. UCF had three shots come close, with one hitting the post in the 77th minute and Stiles making a pair of stops in the 78th and 80th minutes. The Pirates had a chance to take their first lead in 84th minute, but Tori Riggs could not get enough power on her shot to beat Varis.

For the third time in four games, ECU required overtime to decide the game. Unlike the past two extra periods though, the Pirates struck first. Less than a minute into overtime, Dewey used her left foot to swing a cross towards the back post. Both Riggs and Dages were at the back post waiting for the cross and the ball reached Riggs. She trapped the ball down to Dages who quickly took a one-time shot that found the back of the net for the game-winning goal.

"Going into overtime, there was great energy," Hamilton added. "The ladies were telling each other that this was our game and that we weren't going to lose another one in overtime. They believed in themselves and that is half the battle when you've gone 0-2-2 so far in overtime for the year."

UCF finished with a 19-6 edge in shots and a 2-1 advantage in corner kicks. Stiles made four saves while Varis made three stops. With the win, ECU now has seven wins, the most since going 8-10-2 in 2015. It is also the first time ECU has beaten UCF on the road, having been 0-6-1 in Orlando prior to Thursday.

The Pirates play one final road game of the regular season, traveling to USF for a Sunday afternoon match. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m., in Corbett Stadium.