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Soccer Set To Host UCF Thursday Night Inside LSU Soccer StadiumSoccer Set To Host UCF Thursday Night Inside LSU Soccer Stadium

Soccer Set To Host UCF Thursday Night Inside LSU Soccer Stadium

BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU Soccer team (1-1-0) returns to LSU Soccer Stadium on Thursday, August 20 to take on UCF (1-0-0) at 7 p.m. CT. The Tigers and Knights will meet for the sixth time in program history, with the match streaming on SEC Network+.
LSU enters Thursday’s contest ranked No. 21 in the Top Drawer Soccer poll. The Tigers opened the season with a 2-0 loss at No. 11 Wake Forest before responding with a 5-0 victory over Northwestern State in their last match on Sunday. The Tigers scored all five of their goals in  the second half against the Demons.
UCF enters the matchup with a 1-0-0 record after rallying from an early 2-0 deficit to defeat Florida, 4-3, in its season opener on August 13. The Knights scored four unanswered goals in the comeback, including a brace from senior forward Naomi Clark and a game-winning penalty kick from Gabi Berchon in the 84th minute.
Garrett Walvoord and Sara Pollock Dickson will cover the action between the Tigers and the Knights in Baton Rouge. To purchase tickets to attend the match, the link is here. Live stats and streaming links are also available here. 
SEASON RANKING
LSU soccer opened the 2026 season with 2-0 loss after a hard-fought battle against No. 18 Wake Forest before bouncing back with a dominant 5-0 victory over Northwestern State, leaving the Tigers (1-1-0) after the opening weekend. 
The Tigers fell out of the Top-25 in the first regular-season coaches poll due to the opening loss but remained ranked No. 21 by Top Drawer Soccer in their last poll. 
THE MATCHUP 
Thursday’s meeting will mark the sixth all-time matchup between LSU and UCF. The Knights hold a 2-1-2 advantage in the series after defeating the Tigers, 2-1, in Orlando last season on a last-second goal from Berchon. UCF is unbeaten in its two previous trips to Baton Rouge, holding a 1-0-1 record against LSU at LSU Soccer Stadium.
The Tigers are coming off a strong offensive performance in only their second match of the season. LSU recorded 38 shots through its first two matches, averaging 19 shots per game, while putting 14 shots on target. The Tigers have also earned 21 corner kicks through two matches.
Five different Tigers scored in LSU’s 5-0 victory over Northwestern State as senior Ava Galligan, senior Allie Fryer, junior Linka Ono, sophomore Ryann Denecour and freshman Mia Conard each found the back of the net.
Denecour leads LSU with three points through two matches after recording a goal and an assist against Northwestern State. Galligan has also scored once and leads the Tigers with 10 shots, while Sariyah Bailey has recorded a team-high two assists. In goal, Audur Scheving has started both matches for the Tigers and has recorded five saves with a .714 save percentage. 
SEC & MAC HERMANN WATCHLIST
LSU Soccer began the 2026 season with five Tigers named to the 2026 SEC Soccer Preseason Watchlist and two forwards recognized on the United Soccer Coaches 2026 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Players to Watch List.
Senior forward Ava Galligan headlines both lists after a standout 2025 campaign that helped lead LSU to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. The Ashburn, Virginia, native led the Tigers with 11 goals and four assists for 26 points last season, including six game-winning goals. Galligan earned First Team All-SEC and United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region honors following the 2025 season.
Joining Galligan on the Hermann Trophy Players to Watch List is fifth year forward Allie Fryer, who enters her first season in Baton Rouge after transferring from BYU. The Spanish Fork, Utah, native brings 30 career goals and extensive postseason experience to the Tigers' attack.
The Hermann Trophy Players to Watch List recognizes some of the nation's top returning forwards and serves as an early look at candidates for the prestigious MAC Hermann Trophy, awarded annually to the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer National Player of the Year.
Galligan and Fryer are joined on the SEC Preseason Watchlist by sophomore forward Sariyah Bailey, senior defender Kelsey Major and senior goalkeeper Audur Scheving. Bailey earned Third Team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team honors as a freshman in 2025 after making an immediate impact during LSU's historic postseason run.
Major returns for her senior season as a key piece of the Tigers' back line after starting every match for LSU in 2025, while Scheving enters her senior campaign after recording 42 saves and six wins last season.
The five Tigers named to the SEC watchlist are part of a 75-player group selected from across the conference, while LSU's inclusion of two forwards on the Hermann Trophy list highlights the experience and firepower returning to the Tigers' attack in 2026.
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
This season’s LSU Soccer roster features 27 student-athletes, with a mix of returning veterans, newcomers and international talent. The Tigers return a strong core from last season’s historic NCAA Sweet 16 squad while adding a talented group of freshmen and transfers.
The senior class includes fifth-year seniors Kelsey Major and Allie Fryer along with the traditional seniors of Audur Scheving, Emma Alvord, Brielyn Knowles and Ava Galligan. Fryer transferred to LSU this summer after an accomplished four-year career at BYU, where she scored 30 career goals and earned All-Big 12 First Team honors in 2024.
LOOKING AHEAD
LSU will stay at home the remainder of the week as they will next face Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday, August 23, at 1 p.m. CT before traveling back on the road to face Arizona State and Arizona next week. 
The Tigers will host Baylor on Thursday, September 3 to conclude non-conference play at home before beginning SEC action Sept. 11 against Tennessee.
Stay up to date with all things LSU Soccer by following our team’s social media channels @LSUsoccer on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.