Texas A&M
UCF
Aggies Take UCF in Preseason Friendly
Aug 13, 2011 | Soccer
ORLANDO, Fla. - Freshmen were crucial on the field as the 11th-ranked Texas A&M soccer team defeated Central Florida, 2-1, in an exhibition match at UCF Stadium.
"The freshmen got a lot of that nervous energy out of them," head coach G Guerrieri said. "[The game] wasn't a thing of beauty, unless you look at the fact that we found a way to win against a good team. UCF is a really good team and clearly the team to beat in Conference USA."
The friendly was structured differently to allow for more playing time for each player. A 45-minute period was played, followed by two 30-minute periods, giving 105 minutes in total.
"I'm glad the referees allowed us to play an extra 15 minutes," Guerrieri said. "It gives our players a little bit more experience. For tonight it was a little bit more experience of having to protect the lead."
Freshman Annie Kunz netted the first goal of the game for the Aggies in the 26th minute. The goal came off of a free kick by senior Merritt Mathias that Kunz picked up on the right side of the box. The Golden, Colo., native sailed a kick into deep into the net on the left side for a 1-0 A&M lead.
Junior transfer Jayne Eadie left the game in the 16th minute when she sustained a knee injury midfield. The Lancashire, England, native was carried off the field and did not return to the action.
In the 51st minute, freshman Shea Groom was taken down hard in the box by star UCF goalie Aline Reis. Reis received a yellow card for the foul and was then issued another yellow card and a red card before she was ejected. The penalty kick by the Aggies was wide.
The Knights retaliated for Kunz's goal with a wild scramble in the box in the 60th minute. Freshman goalie Renée McDermott grabbed three saves off of frantic UCF shots before forward Tishia Jewell snuck one past the San Clemente, Calif., native for the Knights' tying goal. McDermott injured her shoulder on the first attempt and was unable to hang on to the ball.
The Aggies got another close look at the goal early in the third period when freshman Katie Perry took a corner kick in the 79th minute. Freshman Kelley Monogue powered a header to the goal where it was blocked by UCF goalie Lianne Maldonado.
Monogue got her revenge in the 89th minute when Kunz dribbled in from the left side of the goal and passed to the McKinney, Texas, native in the box. Monogue kicked a laser into the net for the go-ahead goal and a 2-1 lead for the Aggies.
UCF came close to again tying the game in the 98th minute when defender Noel Crane powered a shot from the left side. Freshman goalie Jordan Day dove to the left post for the save.
The Aggies thwarted nine corner kicks by the Knights and took four themselves. UCF also led in shots with 22, compared to the Aggies' 14. Day took the win for the Aggies, with four saves in 86:41 minutes in goal, while McDermott prevented three goals.
"I thought the freshmen did great," Guerrieri said. "There were a lot of good things happening out there tonight. As these guys get their feet underneath them, it will just be better and better and better."
The Aggies return to College Station Monday for the annual Maroon and White Game at 6:30 p.m. at Ellis Field. The team's regular season starts on Friday, Aug. 19, at 6:30 on the home pitch against Fresno State. For more information on Texas A&M soccer, log on to AggieAthletics.com.
