The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Women's Soccer Meets USF For Conference USA Championship
10/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 30, 2003
TAMPA, Fla. --- The first-place UAB women's soccer team can secure its first Conference USA regular-season championship in school history on Friday as the Blazers square off against the USF Bulls at 4 p.m. (CST) in Tampa, Fla.
"This is a big match for us tomorrow," said UAB head coach Paul Harbin. "On Tuesday, I think that we were a little tense at practice, but that was more because our players are trying to get ready for both this trip and our trip to the conference tournament next week. On Wednesday, practice was back on track and I feel confident that we'll be ready to play against USF."
UAB (12-4, 7-2 C-USA) heads into Friday's decisive regular-season finale in the midst of a four-match winning streak. The Blazers are currently the hottest team in the conference and have won their previous three C-USA matchups. UAB has recorded consecutive victories over Houston, 1-0, Birmingham-Southern, 2-0, TCU, 1-0, and Memphis, 2-1.
The Blazers have earned eight shutout victories during the 2003 campaign and have tied the UAB all-time record for shutouts in a season. The Blazers have held the opposition scoreless in five of their seven conference wins and the UAB defense has only allowed nine goals in league play.
"Our defense has really progressed this season, but we can still improve in a lot of areas," Harbin said. "With both Suzanna (LaMotte) and Briana (McCarty) playing together over the last couple of seasons, it has definitely helped to solidify a lot of things, and then our two true freshmen have been playing great as well. They have all responded throughout the season, but we still have some work to do."
USF (8-6-2, 6-2-1 C-USA) also heads into Friday's critical C-USA matchup looking to extend a winning streak. The Bulls, who started the season with a dismal 0-3-1 record, rebounded during conference play and have strung together a pair of three match winning streaks.
Earlier this season, USF reeled off consecutive C-USA wins versus Charlotte, 3-1, Louisville, 2-1, and Cincinnati, 2-0. Recently, after having their backs against the wall with a 3-2-1 league record, the Bulls rallied behind its defense and posted three straight wins prior to this Friday's match. USF earned crucial wins over Houston, 1-0, Memphis, 1-0, and TCU, 2-1, in its last three conference matches.
"Before the season started, we were picked to finish eighth and USF was picked to finish 10th in the conference, so this wasn't the expected matchup for the conference championship," said Harbin. "They (USF) are a really good team and Logan Fleck does an excellent job of getting his team prepared to play. He really does a good job of paying attention to detail and we just need to continue to work hard and this should be a very good match."
In a storied rivalry that began in 1996, UAB and USF have faced each other seven times in hard-fought C-USA action. The Blazers lead the all-time series, 4-2-1, but lost for the first time in three seasons a year ago. UAB is 2-1-1 against the Bulls in Tampa, Fla.
Last season, in a thrilling double-overtime contest at West Campus Field, USF recorded a 2-1 victory.
The UAB women's soccer team will look to improve to 4-2 on the season in road matches on Friday as the Blazers travel to Tampa, Fla., for a vital C-USA matchup against the USF Bulls at 4 p.m. (CST) at the USF Soccer Stadium.
