Photo courtesy of Diego Besne

Knights suffer a 4-1 loss in their bout against No. 18-ranked Clemson

UCF men’s soccer suffered a tough home loss Tuesday night against the No. 18-ranked Clemson Tigers, falling 4-1 at the UCF Soccer Complex.

It was not a pretty first half for the Knights (2-1-1) as their defense saw consistent pressure from Clemson’s attack.

The pressure became too much for the Knights to bear as they conceded their first goal of the season in the 13th minute by Clemson forward Ransford Gyan.

The Tigers (3-1) did not let off the gas as Gyan would tack on another goal just five minutes later, scoring in the 18th minute.

The Knights, at some points, seemed to show signs of retaliation offensively.

However, through missed passes and miscommunication the Knights struggled to find opportunities.

Head coach Scott Calabrese spoke postgame and said the group simply did not start the way they needed to.

“We didn’t necessarily start the game at the right level,” Calabrese said. “[Clemson] had a lot of intensity in their press; they were really well organized, and we played into that.”

With the Knights’ offense struggling to get up to speed, the Tigers made the most of it as they extended their lead to three in the 31st minute.

Going into halftime, the Tigers attempted six shots while the Knights only managed to put up two. The Tigers also attempted four corners compared to the Knights’ zero.

Coming out at the half, the Knights’ tempo changed, and it seemed they were matching the pressure Clemson came out with originally.

In the 62nd minute, freshman forward/midfielder Alex Partera found the back of the net and finally put the Knights on the board.

However, any sliver of a chance for the Knights to rally for at least a tie was put to bed by Gyan, who finished off his hat trick in the 77th minute.

The Knights finished the match with six total shots and only one corner kick. The Tigers, on the other hand, ended with nine shots and seven corners.

Calabrese said the team’s slow start and execution were because they weren’t ready, but he feels he played a large role in that.

“My message to the team is not, ‘the players didn’t do what they should have done, and I did everything right’,” Calabrese said. “As a group, we weren’t ready for that game, and I’m a big part of that.”

As for the next game, Calabrese said he plans to build off Tuesday’s defeat as he gains a greater understanding of his group.

“I still think we’re actually in the process of understanding where each player can play and what their role can be within the team,” Calabrese said. “I think we’re still growing and learning, as a coaching staff, about our players and how we can use them best.”

The Knights will regroup and remain at home for their upcoming matchup against Florida Polytechnic this Sunday, Sep. 6, at 4 p.m.