Ospreys Conclude Season at No. 18 UCF

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida men's soccer team concludes the 2010 season with a nonconference match against in-state foe No. 18 UCF on Tuesday, Nov. 2, at 1 p.m. at the UCF Soccer Complex.

North Florida enters the match 3-11-0 overall, while the Knights are 10-3-2. UNF is 1-6-0 away from Jacksonville this season, while UCF is 6-1-0 at the UCF Soccer Complex.

The Ospreys are 1-4-0 all-time against the Knights dating back to 2005 when the rivalry started. UNF has dropped a pair of 3-1 losses over the past two seasons to UCF. North Florida claimed its first victory in the series on Oct. 30, 2007, when the Ospreys claimed a 3-2 win at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville.

Last season, North Florida opened the season at the UCF Fall Classic in Orlando. The Ospreys dropped the opening match of the tournament to UCF, 3-1, before falling to Iona, 3-2.

Freshman Ricky Lawrence leads the Ospreys. Lawrence has made an immediate impact as a freshman on the UNF team. He ranks first in points scored, goals, assists, shots on goals and match-winning goals. In addition, Lawrence is second in shots. Earlier this season, he had the match-winning goal against Longwood and has also scored goals against FAU and Stetson. Lawrence has registered assists against UAB, Georgia Southern and USC Upstate.

Senior captain Adam O'Neill began the season as a Preseason All-Atlantic Sun honoree and has backed up the accolade on the field. O'Neill ranks near the top in most UNF statistical categories. He is first in goals scored, shots, shots on goal and match-winning goals and second in points scored. Sixty-seven (67) percent of his goals scored came against conference opponents. O'Neill currently ranks in UNF's career top 10 in seven different categories.

On the defensive side of the ball, freshman Josh Ciambella is one of just three players to play in and start every match this season. He is second on the team with two assists despite playing exclusively on defense. Both of his assists came against Atlantic Sun opponents. He had the assist on Theo Fulger's golden goal in overtime against Mercer to give UNF a 2-1 victory.

After starting the season with six-straight home victories, the Knights dropped their final Conference USA home game of 2010 to UAB Friday evening. The two goals allowed by UCF was the most surrendered at home all season. Coming into the game, the Knights had only allowed one goal at home all year. That goal came against No. 5 SMU in a 2-1 win on Oct. 2. UCF has outscored opponents 19-3 on its own field this season. The loss snapped the nine-game unbeaten streak for the Knights. During that time, UCF had won seven games and tied twice as they outscored opponents 19-6.

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