The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Men's Soccer Opens Season At Memphis Diadora Tournament
8/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 28, 2008
Memphis Diadora Tournament Notes
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB men's soccer team will kick off the 2008 campaign when it travels to Memphis, Tenn. to compete at the Memphis Diadora Tournament Aug. 29-31. The Blazers will begin competition on Friday, Aug. 29, when they take on Oral Roberts at 3 p.m., and will conclude tournament play when it faces No. 21 Bradley on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 3 p.m.
"This is going to be a great challenge for us and a terrific way to open the season," UAB head coach Mike Getman said. "We are going to square off against two very good and talented teams. I think we have worked and prepared hard for the start of the season and we are excited to get things going."
The Blazers finished the exhibition season with a 1-0-1 record after a 3-0 win at Clemson (Aug. 17), followed by a 2-2 tie with Georgia State (Aug. 23).
The Blazers lost just two starters from last year's team. In fact, this year's 18 letterwinners and nine starters returning from the 2007 squad are the most returning players and starters Getman has ever had coming back from a previous year. UAB also brings back a solid offensive assault, as 76 percent of the goal scoring and 79 percent of last season's total offensive output return from the '07 squad.
Oral Roberts returns 12 lettermen and five of the top six goal scorers from last season's squad that finished with an overall record of 7-11 and made the school's fifth consecutive conference tournament appearance. The Golden Eagles finished the exhibition season with a 1-0-2 mark, defeating John Brown, 7-0, on Aug. 20, and collected a pair of 1-1 ties against Missouri State (Aug. 23) and Drury (Aug. 25).
Bradley, ranked No. 21 in the NSCAA preseason poll, returns six starters, but lost 12 letterwinners from last season's 16-6-4 NCAA Tournament team. This year, the Braves boast of just one senior, compared to nine seniors on the 2007 squad. Among the 12 departures from Bradley's '07 team, five of those players earned All-MVC honors, including Bradley's first-ever MVC Player of the Year, All-American sweeper Joe Donoho. Bradley finished the exhibition portion of the schedule with a 1-1 mark, falling to Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1-0) on Aug. 18, before defeating future 2008 UAB opponent SIU-Edwardsville (4-1) on Aug. 23.
Not only is this the first appearance for the Blazers at the Memphis tournament, but it also marks the first time UAB has played either team in program history. Additionally, this marks the seventh consecutive year the Blazers have opened a season competing in a tournament on the road. The last time the Green and Gold did not open a campaign in a tournament came back in 2001, when they travelled to Coastal Carolina, before returning home to host the UAB Classic.
All games can be followed live on Gametracker, by logging on to UABsports.com.
