The Preview: LSU Tigers Soccer Wraps Up Road Trip Against UCF Knights on Sunday

The Matchup

Sunday’s match will mark the fifth all-time contest between the Tigers and Knights. LSU is 1-1-2 all-time against UCF, with their last competition coming on a 1-1 draw in 2022.

The Black and Gold will enter Sunday’s contest with an unblemished 3-0-0 record on the season. The 3-0 start matches UCF’s best start since 2003.

After opening the year with a 2-1 road victory at UAB last Thursday, the Knights followed things up with back-to-back home victories over in-state foes Florida Atlantic (3-1) and South Florida (4-1).

Season Stats

LSU has taken down South Alabama and FGCU to begin this season, with one defeat in a hard-fought battle against No. 10 Wake Forest.

The Tigers own eight goals on the year, with Galligan leading the Tigers with three. The junior ties for the fight-most goals in the SEC currently.

Morgan Witz, Kelsey Major, Ida Hermannsdottir, Senai Rogers and Ryann Denecour all own one on the year. Hermannsdottir, a senior from Reykjavik, Iceland, is second in the conference of active players with 20 career goals.

LSU has taken 44 shots in total through three matches in 2025, taking roughly 14 attempts on goal per game.

2025 Schedule Overview

The Tigers’ 18-game regular season slate features eight home matches, including five pivotal SEC contests in Baton Rouge against Alabama, Missouri, Texas A&M, Kentucky, and Florida.

LSU opens SEC play on the road at Vanderbilt on Friday, Sept. 12, before hosting Alabama for its conference home opener on Thursday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. CT.

The “Strike Gold” theme for 2025 reflects the team’s championship aspirations as they pursue a fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

LSU has advanced to the postseason in four of Hudson’s first five years—the longest streak in program history.

“Our non-conference schedule is built to prepare us for the challenges of SEC play,” Hudson said. “Facing a national finalist like Wake Forest early will be a valuable test for our squad.”

Non-conference road tests include Wake Forest, Florida Gulf Coast, UCF, Utah Valley, and Utah. The regular season concludes in Baton Rouge with a marquee matchup against Florida on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. CT.

Postseason play begins with the SEC Tournament in Pensacola, Fla., on Nov. 2, followed by the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 14.

The University of Kansas will host the 2025 Women’s College Cup at CPKC Stadium on Dec. 5 and 8.

Television Coverage

The Tigers television slate consists of three conference matches against Auburn, Missouri and Ole Miss, starting with a road conference matchup against Auburn at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday, September 25th on SEC Network.

The squad will be featured on TV twice in October with matchups against Missouri and Ole Miss.

The battle of the Tigers is set for 5 p.m. CT on Thursday, October 2nd in Baton Rouge while LSU will travel to face the Rebels on Thursday, October 16th at 6 p.m. CT.

2025 Roster Breakdown

This season’s roster features 28 student-athletes representing diverse backgrounds from across the globe.

Eighteen players return from last year’s squad, joined by 10 newcomers—including six international additions.

Newcomers Sol Toboada Martínez, Mireia Sánchez, Gadea Blanco González, and Daniela Hellín hail from Spain, Maud Ferrière joins from France, and Sariyah Bailey arrives from Canada. Freshmen Lila Jaillet and Ryann Denecour round out the first-year class.

The sophomore group includes Katelyn Holt, Annaleigh Bruser, Amy Smith, Ava Amsden, Sarah Stadler, Senai Rogers, and Natalie Dvorakova.

Gabbi Ceballos, Ava Galligan, Brielyn Knowles, and Audur Scheving enter their junior campaigns, while the senior class features Jazmin Ferguson, Sydney Cheesman, Kelsey Major, Danielle Shannon, Jocelyn Ollivierre, Sophine Kevorkian, Ida Hermannsdóttir, Makenna Dominguez, and Morgan Witz.

Dominguez and Witz joined the Tigers in the spring as graduate transfers from North Carolina and California Baptist, respectively.