ORLANDO — The 10th-ranked UCF Golden Knights overcame a first-half goal from Tyler Riggs and a 70-minute lightening delay with a golden goal in overtime from Warren Creavelle for a 2-1 win over No. 21 Kentucky, on a hot and humid Wednesday night at the UCF Soccer Complex.
Kentucky (7-4-1, 0-1-0 Conference USA) suffered the loss in the C-USA lidlifter, battling the red-hot Golden Knights through 99 minutes before Creavelle gave UCF the win with his first goal of the year. UK got the team-leading ninth goal of the year from sophomore Tyler Riggs to take an early lead, before UCF struck out of the 70-minute delay to even the game going to halftime.
The Wildcats took the lead in the 14th minute behind Riggs, who found himself inside the box amongst traffic, beating UCF keeper Shawn Doyle for his team-leading ninth goal of the year.
UCF (7-1-1, 1-0-0 C-USA) answered after the delay in the 39th minute, as the NCAA leader in goals, sophomore McKauly Tulloch got a ball from Creavalle and fired the ball into the net at the near post.
After a scoreless second half, UCF struck for the golden goal in the 99th minute, as Nik Robson lofted a corner kick at the far post, finding Creavalle who fired the game-winning goal past a diving UK keeper Tyler Beadle into the net at the near post.
Beadle saved one shot in the game for the Wildcats, as Doyle totaled four saves. Overall, UK fired 12 shots to UCF’s 19, with UCF owning a 13-6 shot advantage in the second half and overtime. UCF also owned an 8-5 lead in corner kicks in a game that saw 38 total fouls and three yellow cards whistled.
Offensively, UK got three shots from Matt Lodge, Josh McCrary and Jacob Kemper, with Riggs, C.J. Tappel and Josh Mulvany each tallying an effort. Tulloch led UCF with six shots, while Robson and Creavalle each took three.
UK returns to action on Sunday, traveling to C-USA foe FIU for a 12 p.m. ET matchup in Miami.
