CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina men's soccer team season came to a close after losing to the UCF Knights, 2-1, on Tuesday evening at the CCU Soccer Complex.
In order for Coastal to qualify for the 2024 Sun Belt Men's Soccer Championship tournament the Chants required a win, ODU needed to lose or tie, or Georgia Southern had to lose.
With the loss, the Chants concluded the season with a 3-10-3, 1-5-3 Sun Belt record.
UCF was first to strike in the 16th minute when Anderson Rosa whipped in a corner kick to the head of Joey Mueller who knocked the ball into the bottom left corner to give the Knights a 1-0 lead.
The Chants answered back in the 28th minute when
Doug Hainer pulled the ball back to
Leon Olacio who smashed the ball first time into the top left corner to level the score at 1-1.
Coastal looked to pull ahead in the 37th minute when Hainer was awarded a freekick after being taken down just outside of the penalty area. Hainer then curled the ball around the wall, but his shot was met by the post to hold the score at 1-1.
At the end of the first frame, the Knights led 5-3 in shots and 2-1 in corner kicks.
The Knights threatened the CCU defense in the 49th minute when Drew Hansen took a shot that ricocheted off the woodwork to keep the score level at 1-1.
Coastal keeper
Tristan Himes was on high alert, making back-to-back critical close range saves in the 57th and 59th minutes to keep the Chants in the match.
The Chants stepped their foot on the gas in the final 15 minutes when they replaced defender
Kendell Thomas with forward
Kaito Ueki to try and snatch a late goal. Ueki immediately put pressure on the Knights firing two shots-on-goal in the 80th and 83rd minutes, but they were both met by the hands of the UCF keeper to hold the score at 1-1.
In the 88th minute, junior
Evan Howard took aim on goal, attempting some late heroics, but the UCF keeper took care of the danger to deny the Chants.
The Knights put the match to rest just 20 seconds later when Clarence Awoudor passed the ball to Lucca Dourado on a fast break who then chipped the ball over the head of Himes and into the back of the net to secure the 2-1 win and end Coastal's season.
For complete coverage of CCU men's soccer, follow the Chants on social media at @CoastalMSoccer (X), Facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
