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By Nate Blythe
UCFKnights.com

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ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - UCF registered a 0-0 2OT draw on Tuesday night to complete the regular season against Florida Gulf Coast at the UCF Soccer Complex. Junior Romario Williams paced the match with two shots on goal that were stopped by the Eagles' keeper Nathan Ingham.

The Knights honored seniors Leonardo Ayala, Anton Sealey and Jake Weiss prior to the final home match of their UCF careers. Each senior was subbed out in the second half and the fans provided them with a round of applause.

"We are very pleased with this senior class," head coach Bryan Cunningham said. "They have been working hard since the day they arrived, not just on the soccer field, but academically. They are a fantastic group to be around and we will certainly miss them. We are going to need to rely on their leadership and experience in the upcoming conference tournament."

In the 90th minute, sophomore Fernando Laverde registered a shot from 20 yards out that was tipped over the crossbar by the out-stretched keeper. The stop sent the Knights (2-9-5) into overtime for the seventh time this year.

"The game was a little bit of ping-pong match with both teams feeling each other out," Cunningham said. "We created some chances, but unfortunately, we couldn't finish. Their goalkeeper was spectacular and made some great saves."

A pair of posts were hit in the first half as FGCU (5-6-5) had the first opportunity in the 13th minute on a shot by Skylar Wilkes from the left side of the 18-yard box that bent back towards the far post and was cleared by the Knights. Williams later beat a defender one-on-one and sent an on-target strike that glanced off the keepers' hands and hit the near post in the 24th minutes.

On his senior night, Weiss had a shot in the 19th minute from the right side of the box that was going to the top left corner, but the goalkeeper made an out-stretched save.

Just before the first half horn, Williams had another chance on a counter attack, when he beat a defender inside the box, but the keeper was in perfect position to make the stop.

Williams continued to create opportunities as his strike from 25 yards out in the 53rd minute was blocked, but the ball came down just over the crossbar, hitting the top of the netting.

Sophomore Parker Dixon entered the match to start the second half in relief of classmate Zach Biggs. He proved to be the difference in overtime, making a stop in each frame.

The Knights held a 11-9 advantage in shots during regulation before the Eagles tallied all five shots in over time. FGCU was forced to make seven stops during the contest, a match high.

UCF presented by Napleton's Volkswagen enters the postseason on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET as the sixth seed against host No. 3 SMU in the quarterfinals of The American Championship.

"We have not played a team this year that we thought out-played or out-shined us in any way," Cunningham said. "We can play with anybody and SMU is a fantastic team. They are that their place, which will be difficult for us, but I believe that we are up to the task."

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