UCF Battles SMU to Tie

Box Score

DALLAS, Texas (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF (6-6-3, 2-4-1 C-USA) scored in the first minute and got a goal and an assist from freshman Nicholas Robson (Auckland, New Zealand) Saturday night in battling SMU (6-6-2, 2-2-2 C-USA) to a 3-3 overtime tie in Conference USA men's soccer action in Dallas.

"It was an intense game with a lot of buzz surrounding it from the onset as both teams were fighting for a needed victory," said head coach Bryan Cunningham. "Obviously we would have loved to have earned the win, but the guys were resilient to come here and get a tie against a quality opponent."

In regulation, UCF got off to a fast start with a goal in the first minute of the game. Two freshmen hooked up when Malcolm Reed (Summerville, S.C.) headed in a corner kick from Robson. It was Reed's first career goal.

UCF added another marker in the 12th minute when junior captain Yaron Bacher (Atlanta, Ga.) ripped his fourth goal of the season into the net from just outside the 18-yard box.

Dane Saintus scored his seventh goal of the season in the 25th minute for SMU to cut the UCF lead in half. Saintus got a cross from Josue Soto and scored in front of the net.

On only its fourth shot of the second half and 10th of the game, UCF added an insurance goal in the 81st minute when Robson found the net on a free kick. For Robson, the goal was his second in as many games and team-high sixth of the season. With six goals and six assists during his rookie campaign, Robson has a team-high 18 points.

Down 3-1 with less than five minutes left, the Mustangs broke through with two goals to tie the game and force overtime. Esteban Mauriel scored from 25 yards out in the 26th minute, and Paulo da Silva added the tying goal in the 89th minute from the same distance.

In overtime, UCF had some chances at scoring the game-winner with three shots on goal, including two by freshman Adam Kraemer (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), but were unable to push one past SMU keeper Kevin McMullen.