ORLANDO, Florida - UCF (6-5-2) secured a crucial 3-2 victory over James Madison (1-9-3) in a back-and-forth conference matchup on Wednesday evening at the UCF Soccer Complex. The match featured five goals and multiple momentum shifts before a crowd of 1,247.
Lilian Ricol led the scoring for UCF, finding the net in the 11th minute with a low drive to the left corner after clever buildup play from Frederic Benedix. Ricol doubled UCF's advantage in the 18th minute, assisted by Joey Mueller. James Madison's Florentino Junior pulled one back in the 28th minute with a well-placed shot to the top left corner. Ricol completed his hat trick in the 48th minute off a feed from Clarence Awoudor, before Cameron Arnold netted a consolation goal for the Dukes in the 83rd minute.
The first half showcased UCF's attacking prowess, with the Knights recording 12 shot attempts. Clarence Awoudor proved particularly dangerous, forcing three saves in the opening 45 minutes. James Madison struggled to maintain possession but defended resolutely, with goalkeeper Jai Hsieh-Bailey making four crucial stops before the break. The Knights dominated corner kicks in the first period, earning five to James Madison's two.
The second half saw increased intensity from both sides. UCF's Frederic Benedix tested the James Madison defense with shots in the 64th and 69th minutes, while the Dukes showed improved organization after tactical adjustments. The visitors mounted a late surge, with Manuel Lolas and Brock Frasier both creating dangerous opportunities in the final ten minutes. A yellow card to Luis Fuentes in the 65th minute reflected the match's growing intensity.
Final statistics heavily favored UCF, who outshot James Madison 21-8, with nine shots on target compared to the Dukes' three. Both teams earned seven corner kicks, though UCF's proved more threatening. The Knights' goalkeeper Drew Hansen made six saves, while Hsieh-Bailey recorded nine stops for James Madison in a busy evening.
Individual performances highlighted the evening, with Ricol's hat trick leading all scorers. Clarence Awoudor created consistent danger with four shots and an assist, while Cameron Arnold showed determination for James Madison with three shot attempts and a goal. Defensive standout Jeffrey Aguilar made several crucial interventions for the Dukes, particularly during UCF's dominant first-half spell.
Tactically, UCF's high-pressing approach proved effective early, forcing James Madison into defensive positions and creating turnover opportunities. The Dukes adjusted after halftime, employing a more direct counter-attacking style that nearly paid dividends in the closing stages. UCF coach's decision to introduce fresh attackers, including Sora Funakoshi and Joey Mueller as second-half substitutes, helped maintain offensive pressure.
The victory extends UCF's unbeaten run to three matches, building on their recent win over Bradley and draw with Old Dominion. For James Madison, despite showing resilience, the result marks their second consecutive defeat and continues a challenging season where they've struggled to find consistent form.
Looking ahead, UCF travels to face Georgia State on October 26, while James Madison returns home to host Georgia Southern the same evening. The Knights will aim to maintain their momentum, while the Dukes seek to snap their losing streak and build on their improved second-half showing from this match.