Florida Atlantic men’s soccer ended its historic season on Thursday night in Orlando, after falling 3-2 to the University of Central Florida in the first round of the NCAA Championship. The Owls conclude their season with an overall record of 12-4-2, one of the best in the program’s history, and UCF (11-6-3) advances to face No. 7 Georgetown in the next round.

The match remained even throughout, with UCF holding a narrow 14-11 shot advantage. However, a difficult stretch in the first half between the minutes 25-35 ultimately cost two goals to the Owls. UCF capitalized on two good attacks in this period to take the lead. But the Owls responded with resilience, and senior forward Andreas Raisanen cut the score before halftime, scoring to make it 2-1 and giving FAU a renewed momentum heading into halftime.

In the second half, the Owls continued to push forward, creating chances and applying high pressure in the last three quarters of the field. However, UCF managed to extend the lead, converting in the final 15 minutes to go up 3-1.

Graduate forward Mamadou Diarra scored in the 80th minute to cut the score to 3-2, maintaining FAU’s hopes for an epic comeback. The Owls kept having high pressure through the final moments, but the score remained the same.

Despite losing, pride overcomes disappointment. The 2025 season with FAU has demonstrated talented, mature, and high-level performance, and there is hope that this season has laid down the groundwork for an even greater potential in the future. The team has displayed incredibly impressive wins and competition at a national level, and this season has reinforced its identity.

A memorable season comes to a close, but the program’s journey continues upward. The Owls exit the tournament with heartbreak, but also with the belief that better things lie ahead.

David Hoyos is a Staff Writer for the University Press. Email him at [email protected] or DM him on Instagram @hoyos_2k for more information on this and other stories.