The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Memphis*
McLaughlin Rescues Blazers In Final Minute
10/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 15, 2005
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Senior Jason McLaughlin drilled a 25-yard strike with :51 remaining to lift UAB to a 2-1 home win over Conference USA rival Memphis Saturday night at West Campus Field. McLaughlin, who left the match in the 21st minute after suffering a cut above his right eye, received three staples at an area hospital, returned by halftime and was there in the end for the game-winner. The contest was a rematch of last year's Conference USA championship game which Memphis won, 3-2.
"I thought it was a great game, both teams fought so hard, but I thought the right team got the right result," UAB head coach Mike Getman said. "The last few games that we've played with them have all been close, they've all been big games and this was another big game. Both teams needed to win because they've struggled a little bit, but had a chance to put themselves on the right track. I thought we played very well. We fought hard, but we played good soccer and got the result we deserved."
The win broke a three game losing streak against Memphis for UAB, including last year's league title tilt. It propelled the Blazers to a fourth place tie with Marshall heading into Sunday's play. All eight remaining league teams play Sunday, however.
UAB (7-5-1, 2-2-1 C-USA) went up 1-0 in the 21st minute of play on a goal by Maurice Hughes who drilled a shot from the top left corner of the 10-yard box on a run and after a pass from Brian Garcia. Joe Klosterman also assisted on the play. Marcus McCarty evened it for the Tigers (5-5-2, 1-2-2 C-USA) in the 71st minute after intercepting a cleared ball in front of the Blazers' goal.
The second half was a sea-saw battle with both teams approaching each other's nets on several occasions. UAB had several game-winning chances in the final three minutes, including a point-blank offering by Hughes that sailed high and a Lukasz Kwapisz attempt that Memphis keeper Tyler Strom stopped.
"I thought the whole second half we really played well, even thought they got a goal in the second half," Getman said. "I thought we controlled the play, we kept the ball moving and honestly, I though we were just a little quicker than they were. That plays a role down the stretch, when legs get tired and it's hard to keep your team discipline. I thought our athleticism made a little bit of a difference in the end."
UAB out-shot the Tigers 15-10 for the match, but 11-4 in the second period. Strom recorded six saves for Memphis while A.J. Robles stopped a pair of Memphis chances for UAB. Memphis's Hermann Trophy watch list member, Dayton O'Brien, had a pair of nice passes that set up solid Tiger chances in the second half, one a backwards flick to McCarty in the 56th minute that saw McCarty's shot sail high. UAB's Hermann Trophy candidate, Leandro de Oliveira, missed his fifth consecutive match with a knee injury. He was listed as questionable before the game.
The Blazers next make their first-ever trips to new Conference USA members Marshall and Kentucky on Friday and Sunday, Oct. 21 and 23, respectively. UAB faces the Thundering Herd in Huntington, W.Va., at 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT Oct. 21. They visit the Wildcats in Lexington, Ky., on Oct. 23 at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT.
