Katie Dorman and the UTEP soccer team could not find a way past UCF's aggresive style of play. (Photo: Michael P. Reese)

EL PASO, Texas – For the first time in about a month the UTEP soccer team found itself playing in a game following a 2-0 win against Southern Miss. The winning game plan was to score early, play good defense and hold off a late second half rally.

There was a role reversal when they played the No. 18 ranked University of Central Florida Sunday afternoon and fell 4-0 at University Field.

“Right now we’re beating ourselves,” senior Anoop Josan said. “The team we played did well, but we’re beating ourselves. It’s going to take a lot of character building, mentally building yourself up and finding out what you need to do when you step out onto the field.”

The Knights (10-3-3, 5-1-2 Conference USA) were the first team to score – off a Kim Newsome one-timer, which was set up by teammate Tishia Jewell – and led at the halftime horn, 1-0.

UCF recorded its second goal of the game, less then five minutes after the break, putting even more pressure on the UTEP offense. From that point on it was an uphill battle to find a hole in the defense, a crack in their armor, to score.

The Miners (10-6-0, 3-4-0 C-USA) went into a full attack mode, finding a scoring chance with about 39 minutes in the second half. Katie Dorman, who led a cavalcade of four players, could not get to a loose ball and saw it cleared by UCF keeper Aline Reis.

“That’s what we told them at halftime,” head coach Kevin Cross said. “We adjusted at halftime … Told them we were going to start strong, work on our team attack, go at them and everything. Then we had a mental break one minute into it (second half).”

That would be the closest chance the Miners would have in the second half. Then the door of opportunity was closed once UCF added on two more goals in a six-minute span by Nicolett Radovcic and the aforementioned Jewell.

A 25-yard free kick with about five minutes and a corcer kick with less than two minutes were the last chances the Miners would have to score. Both were thwarted by the hands of Reis.

The Miners will finish up their season on the road, starting with a Friday trip to East Carolina.

“I think we just have to use today to build character,” senior Melissa Desilets said. “Now our season is at the point where we can’t lose anymore. Its do or die. We have to step up as a team and get it done.”

Carlos M. Silva, Jr. may be reached at show@minerillustrated.com.