Tigers shutout UCF to open league play

Thursday, September 26

Orlando, Fla.

5 p.m.

University of Memphis

9-1-0, 1-0-0

UCF

5-2-2, 0-1-0

Memphis

UCF

Photo by: Eric Glemser

Sep 26, 2019 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

ORLANDO, Florida – Opening conference play, the No. 11/21 Memphis women's soccer team provided a strong defensive effort in a 1-0 victory at UCF on Thursday night.

Junior Samantha Murphy provided the game's lone goal, coming in the first half of action. Despite being outshot in the match, the Tigers (9-1, 1-0) dug in defensively to post its seventh straight shutout.

In goal, junior keeper Elizabeth Moberg registered her sixth shutout of the season. The Saint Port Lucie, Fla., native stopped both shots on target she faced.

"It was a good effort. It was a tough, tough game," head coach Brooks Monaghan said. "Central Florida is a very good team, especially at home. When you're playing a team of their caliber at their place, it's difficult. We had to grind it out."

UCF (5-2-2, 0-1) began the match with control, tallying three shots and drawing a trio of corner kicks in the first 10 minutes.

The Tigers began to shift momentum a couple minutes later after a pair shot attempts in the box were blocked. Larisey then found the Tigers' first opportunity when a driving shot sailed just high in the 26^th minute.

"We've been building this team up a lot, so there was a lot of adrenaline," Monaghan said of the early start. "We were able to settle down. We changed the system, and I thought that helped a lot to where once we got a little bit settled down we took more control in the first half."

The visiting side broke through in the 33^rd minute on Murphy's fourth score of the year. A shot from the left side found the crossbar and bounced down over the line to give Memphis the edge.

The second half of action yielded a defensive stand for the Tigers. UCF outshot Memphis 8-2 in the final 45 minutes. Holding to its 1-0 lead, the Tigers held off four shots by the Knights over the final 10 minutes of pressure to preserve the victory.

"We held on at the end. We dodged some bullets, but that's a sign on a good team. But where we dodged some bullets, we also had some chances that were close that unfortunately we didn't finish," Monaghan added. "It was a hard-fought battle. In these games, it takes a little extra. I thought our kids did a good job with it. I'm really proud of the effort this evening."

The Tigers will close the weekend with a visit at No. 16 USF on Sunday. Kickoff against the Bulls is set for noon and will be broadcast on the American Digital Network Plus.