ORLANDO, Fla. --- UC Irvine men's soccer fell victim to the potent Knights attack falling 5-1 Friday night at UCF Soccer Complex.
- The start of the match was delayed an hour and 10 minutes due to inclement weather making kickoff 8:10 p.m. EDT
- After the match started, UCF wasted little time putting a score on the board with a strike from Emmanuel Bam in the fifth minute for a 1-0 game
- UCI found its footing, and in the 34th minute were rewarded. A misplayed back pass by the Knights found its way by the keeper and into the net for an own goal to tie the match, 1-1
- The Knights quickly took the lead back in the 49th minute after the half as the Anteaters fumbled the ball themselves in their defending third setting up Yanis Belatrache with the simple goal for a 2-1 UCF advantage
- Alex Shields was under fire in net stopping one shot in the first half and then adding four saves in the first 15 minutes of the second half as he tried to keep it at a one-goal deficit
- UCF finally got some distance from the 'Eaters and piled on quickly with three goals in 3:06 on the clock
- Clarence Awoudor got things going in the 73rd minute to make it 3-1 UCF
- Less than two minutes later in the 75th minute was the first career goal from Carlos Rojas to put it at 4-1
- Rojas added his second of the night 1:18 after his first for a 5-1 lead in the 76th minute
- The offenses controlled the evening with 16 shots on target of the 30 total shots
- Shields finished with eight saves for a career high against four saves for the UCF keeper
- The five goals allowed are the most under head coach Yossi Raz, and the most for the program since the 2003 season
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UCI continues its weekend in Florida with a Monday match against South Florida, September 9, at 4:00 p.m. PT.
