Oct. 31, 2015

Final Stats

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ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - UCF seniors Hadji Barry, Zach Biggs and Mason Miller went out on top with a 1-0 shutout against Cincinnati on Saturday at the UCF Soccer Complex. Sophomore midfielder Matias Pyysalo scored the game-winning goal in the 58th minute, while freshman C.J. Campbell and Barry drew assists.

"It is a night to celebrate what you have done for the program and what the program has done for you," Miller said. "The program has given us so much. Coach has given us this opportunity. Our families are here and I am thankful to have everyone come together."

The Knights (7-8-2, 3-4-1 The American) honored their three seniors Hadji Barry, Zach Biggs and Mason Miller along with their families prior to the match vs. Cincinnati (7-8-3, 1-4-3 The American).

"After the game settled down following the first five minutes, I thought that we really dominated," said Cunningham. "Their only shot on goal was in the first five minutes of the game. We really just took it to them after that. Our possession was very good. We did a good job of creating dangerous chances off it."

UCF earned the No. 5 seed in The American Championship and are set to travel to Tulsa Saturday with a start time to be determined.

PYYSALO FINISHES
- Following a pass down the left wing by Barry, Campbell sent a cross at the top of the box that came to Pyysalo, who beat the keeper to the far post .
- The goal in the 58th minute was the sixth of the season for Helsinki, Finland, native.
- It also put him in a tie for the team lead with 21 points along with Barry.

"Mason [Miller] played me the ball and two guys came to defend me," Barry said. "C.J. [Campbell] was wide open, so I slide the ball to him. He one-touched it to Matias [Pyysalo], who had a great finish."

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
- Sophomores Andreas Steineger, Joel Vartiainen, freshmen Jakov Basic and Zachary Waitman kept the Bearcats to a total of three outside shots in the match.
- Freshman keeper Brendan Rennie was forced to make one stop to earn his second-straight shutout.
-The Knights have held their opponents without a goal over the past 197 minutes.

"Our back four was composed and moved the ball well," said Cunningham. "To hold an opponent to one goal on goal is massive. They are taking away crosses and were really good for the second match in a row."

LOTS OF CHANCES
- The Knights held an 11-3 advantage in shots and controlled play for a majority of the match.
- Freshman C.J. Campbell had the best look in the first half on a shot from eight yards out that the keeper deflected past the far post in the 28th minute.
- Right after the goal, UCF had a pair of quality chances by Barry and sophomore Walker Dawkins that were stopped by Cincinnati's keeper Pedro Diaz, who made nine saves i.

NEXT UP
- UCF starts The American Championship with a quarterfinal match at Tulsa on Saturday.
- The semifinals and finals of the tournament are set to be played at Corbett Stadium in Tampa, Fla.