By Marissa Essenburg | Sports Writer
No. 16 Baylor soccer headed down south for its final road stretch of the regular season, falling 2-1 to UCF Thursday night at the UCF Soccer and Track Complex.
Coming off a 2-0 win over Utah in their final home match, the Bears (11-3-2, 6-3 Big 12) carried that same early energy to Orlando, Fla., looking sharp in just their second all-time meeting with the Knights (9-2-4, 5-1-2 Big 12). Baylor pressed high from the opening whistle and controlled long stretches of possession but couldn’t break through.
Ranked No. 4 in RPI to UCF’s 38, Baylor came out with early energy, pressing the Knights’ defensive third from the opening whistle but unable to capitalize on four early chances that forced the UCF goalkeeper into four first-half saves.
Despite generating seven shots and five corners in the first half, Baylor couldn’t find the back of the net. Instead, it was the defense — led by senior goalkeeper Azul Alvarez, back in goal after exiting the last match with an ankle injury — that steadied the match, regaining control as UCF ramped up its attack late in the half.
Even with the Bears holding steady, it was the Knights who struck first, finding the breakthrough off a corner kick with eight minutes left to grab a 1-0 lead heading into the half.
Knocking at the door, the Bears opened the second half on the front foot, testing the UCF defense with two shots on goal in the first eight minutes.
But it was the Knights who struck again, as a long clearance from their defense slipped past the Baylor back line before being cut inside and fired over Alvarez’s outstretched arms in the 56th minute to double the lead.
With little time to celebrate, just a minute after the Knights doubled their lead, senior Tyler Isgrig responded for Baylor with a left-footed strike that kissed the crossbar and found the back of the net in the 57th minute to bring the Bears within one.
A back-and-forth battle between the No. 3 and No. 6 teams in the Big 12 saw momentum shift throughout the night, with both sides trading long possessions and dangerous counter-attacks from end line to end line.
While Baylor dictated stretches of play through the midfield and created consistent pressure in the attacking third, UCF matched the intensity with physical defense and quick transitions, forcing the Bears to reset time and again.
Despite filling the stat sheet, Baylor continued to chase the Knights until the final whistle. Unlucky No. 9 seemed to define the night — 19 total shots, nine on goal and nine corners — yet no equalizer to show for it. The Bears’ fight never faded, but the scoreboard stayed still as they fell short in Orlando.
The Bears will be back in action Sunday, looking for a win against Houston before conference play. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Carl Lewis International Complex. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
