ECU Preps For Trip To UCF

Game 6: East Carolina (1-3-1, 1-1-1) at UCF (2-2-0, 2-2-0)
Date	Sunday, March 14
Time	1:00 p.m. (EDT)
Location	Orlando, Fla. (UCF Soccer and Track Complex)
Coverage	Live Stats \| Live Video
Social Media	Twitter: @ECUsoc Instagram: @ECUSoc Facebook: @ECUwsoccer

GREENVILLE, N.C. – After coming up just short against one of the top teams in the conference, the ECU soccer team will again be challenged as the Pirates head south to take on UCF on Sunday afternoon.

"We are expecting to see UCF at its best this weekend," said head coach Jason Hamilton. "With only four teams going to the conference tournament this spring, every point is crucial. With them dropping two games already, they are going to come out with this being a must win game at home."

East Carolina (1-3-1, 1-1-1 AAC) is coming off a tight 1-0 loss to No. 17 USF, with the Bulls scoring in the 84th minute to secure the win. It was the fourth time in five games that ECU has allowed just one goal or less. Four Pirates among the ECU defensive corps have been honored this season already. Carsen Parker and Maeve English have been named AAC Defensive Player of the Week and AAC Goalkeeper of the Week, respectively while Morgan Dewey earned a spot on the AAC Weekly Honor Roll earlier this year. Parker and AAC Preseason All-Conference selection Kim Sanford are second and third on the team in minutes played, trailing only English who has played every minute in the goal.

"I think our team has a good mindset going into this game," Hamilton said. "We know that we are right in the mix and that a result down in Orlando would keep us in the race."

On the offensive end, ECU's main threat has come through corner kicks, as the Pirates average 4.4 corners per game. The biggest goal of the season thus far came from a corner kick when Parker scored off a Dewey assist to beat Houston. Dewey got a goal of her own on a free kick against VCU, while Madie Knaggs scored off an assist from Annabelle Abbott at Temple. Tori Riggs, Catherine Holbrook and Cashlin Copley are all still looking to open their accounts this year, but it seems like only a matter of time as the trio have produced a combined 19 shots, nine of which were on goal.

The Knights (2-2-0, 2-2-0 AAC) have stumbled after starting off 2-0 this season. UCF shutout Temple (3-0) and Cincinnati (1-0), but have allowed four goals in its past two games, falling to Tulsa (3-2) and Memphis (1-0). Katie Bradley leads the Knights with two goals and one assist while Mallory Olsson has a pair of goals. Trescott Shamlou has a team-high two assists while also adding a goal. In goal, Caroline DeLisle has played all 360 minutes for UCF and has made 14 saves. She is coming off making nine saves and allowing just one goal against Memphis.

UCF has historically had the upper hand in the matchup, going 12-3-2 against ECU, including a 1-0 win in Johnson Stadium in 2019. However, the last time the Pirates traveled to Orlando, they left with a 2-1 overtime win. Knaggs had a goal to tie that game while Riggs had an assist on the game-winning goal. That was the first ever win for ECU at UCF and East Carolina is now 1-6-1 in UCF Soccer and Track Complex.

"We are starting to settle in a bit and we have been in three tight conference games," Hamilton finished. "Last week against USF, we gave ourselves a chance to be in the game and just didn't make any plays in front of the goal. Hopefully, that is something we learn from and be more efficient in those opportunities."

Kickoff for Sunday's game is scheduled for 1 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

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Players Mentioned

Annabelle Abbott

Cashlin Copley

Morgan Dewey

Maeve English

Catherine Holbrook

Madie Knaggs

Carsen Parker

Tori Riggs

Kim Sanford

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