The men’s soccer team fell short on their senior night Nov. 5 against the University of Central Florida, losing 2-1 at the Coastal Carolina University (CCU) soccer complex.
The 7 p.m. match was a crucial one for the Chanticleers as they hoped to improve their Sun Belt Conference Championship record.
The defeat dropped CCU’s record to 3-9-3 overall and 1-4-3 in Sun Belt play, leaving them needing a win and a favorable result from Old Dominion University’s game against James Madison University to have a shot at qualifying for the 2024 conference tournament.
With a 2-7-1 record at home this season, Coastal struggled on their own turf, and this loss was their third consecutive setback against the Knights, who improved to 6-5-3 overall and 4-4-0 in the conference.
Coastal came into the match with high hopes after impressive results against ranked teams earlier this season, including three straight draws against No. 8 James Madison, No. 3 Marshall, and No. 7 West Virginia.
Forward Lucca Dourado, who scored three consecutive goals in UCF’s last game, was a key figure in the win, contributing significantly to the Knights’ attacking play.
UCF took an early lead 16 minutes in when Joey Mueller scored, giving the Knights a 1-0 advantage.
The goal came off a well-placed cross that Mueller converted with a clinical finish. Coastal Carolina goalkeeper, Tristan Himes, kept the game within reach with a series of saves.
Coastal responded well, and at the 28-minute mark, senior Leon Olacio, midfielder, equalized for the Chanticleers, bringing the game level at 1-1.
“I was stoked. It was something special for sure,” Olacio said about scoring his first-ever collegiate goal on his senior night.
The goal energized Coastal, who continued to push for the go-ahead goal as the game progressed.
At halftime, the score was 1-1, with both teams having shared possession.
The strong leadership from the seniors on the field wasn’t enough, as CCU’s defense couldn’t contain UCF’s attack, and the Chanticleers struggled to break through the Knights’ defense.
Despite several late attempts to put a point on the board, with Kaito Ueki, midfielder, taking two prominent shots in the final moments, UCF’s defense held firm.
With only 75 seconds left on the clock UCF regained the lead when Lucca Dourado found the back of the net, putting the Knights ahead 2-1 with a composed finish.
CCU head coach Shaun Docking said the team kept up a good fight, which he said he is very proud of them for.
“We made some tactical adjustments to try and get a goal and we had some good chances but unfortunately, it wasn’t our night,” Docking said.
Senior Kendall Thomas said it was a bittersweet experience because of the effort, however he said he wanted the season to carry on.
“This is probably one of our stronger performances of the season. I think on another day, maybe it would’ve been our day, but this is the way the story ended,” Thomas said.
Jason Kemble, a graduate student in his sixth and final season with Coastal Carolina, thought it was an unfortunate result. Kemble was sad, frustrated, yet proud of his team.
“We had a lot of chances I just think we couldn’t really capitalize. I don’t know what the next steps are quite yet. I’ve had two ACL tears, so it’s been a rough ride,” Kemble said. “I feel like it’s been a good career, and I’m looking forward to the next chapter now.”
With the loss, Coastal Carolina’s 2024 season comes to a close, marking the end of their journey to advance to the Sun Belt Conference Championship.
The team now looks ahead to the next season, hoping to build on the lessons learned this year and work towards a stronger campaign in 2025.
