Final Box Score

In a closely contested match-up Sunday afternoon, the Florida International University women's soccer team came up short on the scoreboard, losing to Central Florida 2-1 at University Park.

"I'm happy with the effort we're showing right now," head coach Everton Edwards said. "But I'm not happy with the results. We have to score some goals."

FIU has scored just four goals in seven games, three of them coming in one contest.

"If you can't score, you really need things to go your way to win. Right now we aren't getting any kind of breaks, and we're suffering through injuries, and those things get magnified when you can't get any goals."

Things looked bleak for the Golden Panthers in the early going, as UCF midfielder Allison Blagriff scored in the fifteenth minute off of a give and go pass, executed with forward Becca Eschelman. The passing set Blagriff free, and her shot careened off the left goal post and rolled into the right side of the net for an early 1-0 lead.

FIU did not give up another goal in the first half, and the Golden Panthers capitalized on a great scoring opportunity in the thirty-ninth minute. After the Golden Knights committed a foul just outside their own box, senior midfielder Carmen Lopez knocked the free kick into the goalie box, which junior midfielder Charissa Gingerich headed into the net for the 1-1 tie.

UCF came back in the early moments of the second half, as Blagriff scored her second goal of the contest in the forty-seventh minute from inside the box. She was assisted on the play by Eschelman and defender JoAnna Black.

Trailing 2-1, the Golden Panthers could not tie it up for a second time, and fell to 1-6 on the season. The Golden Knights improved to 5-2. FIU begins Sun Belt Conference play Friday evening in Murfreesboro, Tenn. against Middle Tennessee State. The contest is slated to begin at 8:00 p.m.