Males’s Soccer Prepped for Sunday Matinee at Georgia State – UCF Athletics

ORLANDO – Representing the squad’s penultimate street contest of the common season, the UCF males’s soccer crew is about for a Sunday afternoon street matchup in opposition to the Georgia State Panthers in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Black and Gold most just lately edged the visiting James Madison Dukes by a 3-2 ultimate rating on the UCF Soccer Complex, a victory powered by junior ahead Lilian Ricol’s first profession hat trick.

Ricol’s effort additionally marked the Paris, France, native’s first profession multi-goal match and prolonged his team-leading objectives scored whole to eight via his first 13 matches this fall.

The hat trick itself represented the forty second in program historical past and ensured the crew may have no less than one hat trick in back-to-back seasons after since-graduated ahead Lucca Dourado registered his first profession hat trick at dwelling in opposition to South Carolina Nov. 1.

UCF has additionally now seen a participant notch a hat trick in back-to-back seasons for the primary time since Cal Jennings netted three such showings in 2018 and added his fourth profession hat trick in 2019.

Ricol’s prolific night highlighted a robust general Knights assault that produced 21 whole shot makes an attempt, together with 9 on objective. The contest represented UCF’s second of the season with no less than 20 whole tries, becoming a member of the squad’s dominant 5-1 overcome Bradley Oct. 14.

The profitable effort represented the newest in a pattern of robust Octobers underneath head coach Scott Calabrese as nicely, pushing the Black and Gold’s all-time October document to 31-11-4 within the Calabrese period.

Entering the match at Georgia State Sunday, Ricol now ranks second within the Sun Belt Conference along with his eight scores, and in addition slots amongst league leaders in factors per sport (1.38, T-Third), whole factors (18, T-Third), game-winning objectives (2, T-Third), and pictures per sport (2.46, fifth).

His teammate, Clarence Awoudor, tacked on his twelfth help of the season on Ricol’s third objective of the match within the forty ninth minute and stays the nationwide help chief coming into Sunday’s motion. The Saint-Lo, France, native additionally ranks amongst Sun Belt Conference leaders in pictures per sport (2.85, 2nd), factors per sport (1.38, T-Third), and whole factors (18, T-Third).

With UCF’s newest win, this system additionally vaulted again into the Sun Belt’s prime 4 with three matches remaining, as its 10 factors within the league desk path solely West Virginia (15), Marshall (15) and Kentucky (15).

Georgia State, in the meantime, enter Sunday’s match two spots behind the Knights within the league standings with eight factors on the energy of a 2-2-2 convention document that components into an general 4-5-5 mark via 14 matches.

The Panthers’ 2025 marketing campaign is highlighted by a 2-1 dwelling victory over then-No. 3 West Virginia. The contest stays the Mountaineers’ lone Sun Belt Conference defeat of the season and simply the crew’s second loss this 12 months general.

Georgia State additionally claimed its second-highest ranked win in program historical past, and its highest because the crew bested then-No. 2 Wake Forest in 2017.

The Panthers this season are led offensively by sophomore ahead Samir Djeha, who has recorded a team-best 16 factors on the energy of six objectives and 4 assists. Goalkeeper Loan Marin on the opposite finish has produced a robust 1.64 goals-against common in his 14 begins with a .705 save share.

Kickoff for the match is about for 4 p.m. from GSU Soccer Complex and can be streamed dwell on ESPN+.

ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS

UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively rework the lives of our college students academically, athletically, and personally via a nationally aggressive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the repute and visibility of the University. We attempt to be Florida’s preeminent athletic program representing UCF and our group with distinction on the nationwide stage as “Orlando’s Hometown Team”. To be taught extra about UCF and Athletics, please go to our web sites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.