Nov. 2, 2005

Final Stats

HOUSTON - Forward Roberta Pelarigo scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner in the 68th minute as top-seeded UCF survived a scare from eighth-seeded Houston to defeat the Cougars 3-2 in the opening game of the 2005 Conference USA Women's Soccer Championship at the Rice Track/Soccer Stadium. With the teams deadlocked at 2-2 at halftime, Pelarigo scored the only goal of the second half as the Golden Knights advanced to Friday's first semifinal match with the victory.

The Cougars opened the scoring on a penalty kick in the first half after junior Sophia Mundy was taken down in the box in the 10th minute. Midfielder Courtney Gaines took the penalty kick and slid it past UCF goalkeeper Julie Snaman for a 1-0 lead.

The Cougars' lead was short-lived though as the Golden Knights tallied a pair of quick goals to claim a 2-1 advantage by the 16th minute of play. UCF tied the match on Pelarigo's first goal in the 13th minute and took the lead on a goal by Hanna Wilde in 16th minute. Defender Kate McCain assisted Pelarigo on her 12th goal of the season and forward Jennifer Montgomery set Wilde up for her second goal of the season.

Mundy then squared the match at 2-2 with less than a minute remaining in the half as she snuck a ball past Snaman across the goal mouth just inside the right post. Kristin Bay and Jessica Green were credited with assists on the Mundy's school-record 14th goal of the season.

Pelarigo scored her second goal of the match in the 68th minute when she headed a cross from Arielle Orr over the outsretched hands of Houston goalkeeper Stephanie Pucek.

UCF held a 9-7 advantage on shots and will face the winner of the No. 4 UTEP/No. 5 Memphis match set for 2:30 p.m. at the Rice Track/Soccer Stadium.