Mountaineers Draw at No. 5 UCF

Friday, September 15

Orlando, Fla.

7 p.m.

West Virginia University

5-0-1, 0-0-1

UCF

4-0-2, 0-0-1

West Virginia

UCF

September 15, 2023 10:51 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Adam Grossman

ORLANDO, Fla. – In a top-five matchup, the No. 4 West Virginia men's soccer team earned a hard-fought 2-2 draw against No. 5 UCF on Friday to open Sun Belt Conference play. Both teams remain unbeaten as the Mountaineers go to 5-0-1 while the Knights are now 4-0-2.

All the scoring took place in the first half with the teams trading goals. Sophomore Marcus Caldeira kept his goal streak alive, scoring for the sixth straight game to begin the season, while senior Thomas Decottignies found the back of the net for the first time as a Mountaineer. Senior Luke McCormick collected his 19^th career assist in the contest to move him into a tie with Andy Bevin for fourth-most in WVU history.

UCF outshout the Mountaineers 16-9 while shots on goal were even at six apiece. The West Virginia defense had to stand tall all night as the Knights took 12 corner kicks compared to none for the Mountaineers.

Caldeira struck quick for WVU, scoring his seventh goal of the season on a header in the second minute of the game off a cross from McCormick. Going back to his game-winning goal with three seconds left against Portland on Saturday, Caldeira registered two goals in just over a minute of game time.

The score remained the same until the 22^nd minute when UCF's leading scorer Lucca Dourado found the back of the net to even up the game.

Just over a minute later, however, the Mountaineers retook the lead on a beautiful goal from Decottignies as he fired a shot with the outside of his right foot from the top of the box past the diving keeper.

The Knights answered once again in the 34^th minute on a goal from Zane Bubb to knot the score at two.

The second half was a defensive battle as the two teams combined for just three shots on goal in the final 45 minutes. UCF had one of the better chances of the half in the final minute, but Beto Ydrach's shot was save by Jackson Lee.

The Mountaineers will return home on Tuesday to take on Dayton. Kickoff from Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium is set for 7 p.m.

For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.