The UCF men’s soccer team benefitted from a first-half score courtesy of senior forward Emmanuel Bam, but the squad dropped its Saturday evening road matchup to the No. 7 West Virginia Mountaineers, 2-1, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
The contest represented the eighth of the Knights’ (3-3-3, 1-2-0 SBC) first nine this fall with two or fewer goals allowed, as well as the fifth in five all-time matches against West Virginia (7-0-3, 2-0-1 SBC) that saw UCF yield two or fewer scores to the Mountaineers.
After the seventh-ranked Mountaineers produced the contest’s first goal in the sixth minute of action, the Black and Gold netted their equalizer via a well-placed shot by Bam in the 21st minute.
Newcoming senior midfielder Javier López Sánchez brought the ball in down the middle of West Virginia’s defensive end and sent a pass through a pair of Mountaineer defenders the way of junior Clarence Awoudor on the far end.
Awoudor executed a one-touch pass for Bam back toward the near side of the box, who deflected the ball in past West Virginia goalkeeper Marc Bonnaire, tying the match at one goal apiece.
The score marked Bam’s fourth of the season, tying his previous season high set last season, as well as his second goal against a ranked opponent, joining his first collegiate tally against the then-No. 9 Clemson Tigers Aug. 24, 2023. Sánchez and Awoudor were credited with their second and fourth assists of the season, respectively, on the play as well.
Though the Mountaineers later regained the lead just after the halftime break in the 49th minute, redshirt freshman goalkeeper Shane Wright still produced a strong night in goal, making four saves on West Virginia’s six shots on goal throughout the evening.
Wright’s showing represented his third with at least four saves in his first seven collegiate matches, lifting his season save total to 24, as well as his sixth with two or fewer goals allowed.
UP NEXT
The Knights look to bounce back from their one-goal defeat as they commence a three-match homestand Friday, Oct. 11 against the No. 5 Marshall Thundering Herd. Kickoff for the match is scheduled for 7 p.m. from the UCF Soccer Complex and will be streamed on ESPN+.
