The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
No. 17 UAB Hosts Future League Foe Kentucky Saturday
10/29/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 29, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The 17th-ranked UAB men's soccer team welcomes future Conference USA men's soccer foe and perennial Mid-American Conference power Kentucky to West Campus Field tonight. It marks the first of perhaps many meetings between the two schools, which met more famously in the NCAA men's basketball tournament a year ago.
Kentucky was announced as one of three new affiliate members of Conference USA earlier this week. The Wildcats will join Florida International and South Carolina as C-USA members for men's soccer only in the 2005 season.
This year's Kentucky team is the reigning MAC champion, is 10-4-3 overall and is coming off a 2-0 win over Cincinnati on Wednesday. UK is unbeaten in its last four matches and is receiving votes in the College Soccer News weekly poll.
"They are big, strong and powerful," admitted UAB head coach Mike Getman. "We're going to have our hands full. We'll do what we always do, though, and not stray from our style of play. We'll try to possess the ball and out-play them. We've got our work cut out for us, though."
UAB is rated No. 17 in the NSCAA coaches poll and is 23rd in the CSN ballot. The Blazers have won eight of their last 10, but are trying to rebound from an emotional, 2-0, loss at Memphis Wednesday. The setback prevented Mike Getman's club from moving into a first-place tie with Memphis, but UAB can still share the league regular season title with victories in its last two C-USA games and a Memphis loss at East Carolina next weekend.
The Blazers are riding the talented feet of Leandro de Oliveira, a preseason Hermann Award watch list member, who is the reigning Conference USA Co-Offensive Player of the Week. His five goals and six assists pace UAB. Sandy Gbandi and the frugal Blazer defense have seven shutouts on the season and are allowing just 1.06 goals per game.
The Wildcats are led by Jamal Shteiwi's 11 goals and seven assists. UK faces its sixth ranked foe this season in UAB. While it has not managed a win, it tied No. 3 Indiana, 0-0, and No. 26 Akron, 1-1, in its last two chances.
