CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
Highlights
Coach Sahaydak Interview
UCF Goalie Connie Organ Interview

After a weekend that included 330 minutes of scoreless soccer and 35 total penalty kicks between four remarkably even programs, the inaugural American Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Championship was decided at long last on Sunday afternoon at the UCF Soccer Complex in Orlando, Fla., with top seed and host UCF emerging to earn the conference’s automatic NCAA Tournament bid.
 
In what had become a pattern with both semifinal matches entering shootouts, the final between the Knights and 3-seed Rutgers ended in a 0-0 draw, with UCF taking the title on an 8-7 penalty kick margin.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Connie Organ was the difference maker for the Knights. After being called upon for the second consecutive game to take her place between the pipes during penalty kicks, Organ came up big, making two saves on Rutgers to halt the sudden death shootout.
 
Rutgers pushed back on the offensively-charged Knights during all 110 minutes, but came up short, ending the season at a 13-4-5 record. The Scarlet Knights will receive their NCAA Tournament fate on Monday, when the 64-team field is announced. With its No. 33 ranking in the NCAA RPI, Rutgers could earn an at-large bid as the second team in for The American.
 
The match began with Rutgers seizing momentum, controlling much of the offensive pace and dictating UCF’s efforts on defense for the first 10 minutes, capped by redshirt senior Jessica Janosz making the first of her 10 saves on the afternoon.
 
UCF was able to regain some control following Janosz’s save, with much of the remainder of the first half seeing even possession between both teams. The Knights made a series of shots at the 27-minute mark, with junior Alex Piercy narrowly missing off the top crossbar. Freshman Lena Petermann almost converted on the rebound, but Janosz was able to knock the American Rookie of the Year’s attempt down.
 
Rutgers entered halftime after a crossbar shot of its own from junior Amy Pietrangelo in the final minute. Each team recorded eight shots on the half, with Janosz recording two saves to UCF keeper Lianne Maldonado’s one.
 
The second half was all Knights, with UCF maintaining the majority of offensive possession throughout the period. Juniors Tatiana Coleman and Jennifer Martin were able to create a number of chances, but Janosz and the scrappy Rutgers defense were too much for the Knights to make a conversion.
 
A free kick from Martin at the 27:28 mark was punched out by Janosz, and was shortly followed by several UCF offensive assaults, all either disrupted by the Rutgers defense or knocked away by Janosz.
 
To close regulation, Rutgers had one final chance at yet another spectacular finish, with freshman Madison Tiernan making an effort from 30 feet out. Unlike teammate Rachel Cole’s quarterfinal finish over Cincinnati, Tiernan missed over the net, and extra minutes began again in Orlando.
 
Physical play dominated both overtimes, with both teams battling evenly for position. The statistical best and fourth-best defenses in The American proved their worth, with neither team able to get off any uncontested chances.
 
Penalty kicks were again in order, this time beyond the usual five chances given to each team. In the first five shots, Janosz and Organ were each able to come up with a save. It would take four more PKs for a keeper to make a stop, and it was UCF’s sophomore backup in Organ who was able to clinch the sudden-death title for the Knights.
 
With her ten saves, a career best, Janosz was named Most Outstanding Defensive Player for the tournament. Teammates Tiernan and redshirt senior Tricia DiPaolo were also named to the All-Tournament Team.
 
For UCF, Coleman earned Most Outstanding Offensive Player after serving as her team’s offensive spark, totaling eight shots on the weekend, five on goal. Also named to the All-Tournament Team for the Knights were Organ, Petermann and sophomore Sophie Howard.
 
Semifinal squads Memphis and USF each had two players named to the All-Tournament Team. Memphis senior Christabel Oduro and junior Kylie Davis each earned the honors, while senior Sharla Passariello and sophomore Jackie Simpson represented the Bulls.
 
UCF, currently ranked No. 12 in the nation by Soccer America, No. 17 by the NSCAA and No. 12 in the NCAA RPI, will be the guaranteed representative for The American in the NCAA Tournament. Rutgers, along with Memphis, USF and UConn, could all receive at-large bids as well.
 
For more highlights, statistics and profiles from the 2013 Women’s Soccer Championship, be sure to visit TheAmerican.org, specifically the Championship Central page at www.TheAmerican.org/WSOCCER.
 
American Athletic Conference Championship Awards
 
Most Outstanding Offensive Player
Tatiana Coleman, UCF, Jr., F
 
Most Oustanding Defensive Player
Jessica Janosz, Rutgers, R-Sr., GK
 
All-Tournament Team
Tatiana Coleman, UCF, Jr., F
Sophie Howard, UCF, So., D
Connie Organ, UCF, So., GK
Lena Petermann, UCF, Fr., F
Kylie Davis, Memphis, Jr., M
Christabel Oduro, Memphis, Sr., F
Tricia DiPaolo, Rutgers, R-Sr., D
Jessica Janosz, Rutgers, R-Sr., GK
Madison Tiernan, Rutgers, Fr., F
Sharla Passariello, USF, Sr., F
Jackie Simpson, USF, So., D