The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
UC Irvine
Blazers Use Late Goal To Tie UC-Irvine, 2-2
9/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 12, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB men's soccer team used a late goal by senior forward Shane Elsner to tie UC-Irvine, 2-2, on Friday night at West Campus Field. It was the final game of the first round of the UAB "Soccer For A Cure" Classic, as Western Illinois topped Memphis, 1-0, in game one.
UAB will now play Western Illinois in the tournament's finale on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. at West Campus Field. The match could decide the championship of the 2008 Classic.
The Blazers (2-2-1) and Anteaters (3-0-2) battled back-and-forth all night, with UAB answering every UCI goal. In the final overtime, UC-Irvine out shot UAB, 6-0, and Blazer goalkeeper Carl Woszczynski deflected two sure goals, one hit off the post with the other off the crossbar, to preserve the tie.
"I thought this was a terrific soccer game," UAB head coach Mike Getman said. "The game had a real ebb and flow to it. I thought we took it to them over the final 30 minutes of regulation and we were able to score a great goal. We were also able to control the first overtime, but they definitely controlled the second overtime. UC-Irvine is a great team, but I am proud of our guys and their performance."
Elsner's game-tying goal came with exactly one minute remaining in regulation. With UC-Irvine clinging to a 2-1 lead, freshman Andrew Barsalona took the ball down the right side and served a perfect ball to the six-yard box. Elsner made a run and hit a header into the lower right corner, past the diving UC-Irvine goalkeeper to send the game to overtime.
UAB held possession and created several opportunities in the first overtime, but could not get a shot on frame. The Anteaters turned the possession around in the second overtime, and managed six shots, but Woszczynski made two of his five saves in the final 10-minute period to keep the game knotted at 2-2.
The Anteaters struck for the game's first goal, which came only 9:39 into the contest. UC-Irvine's Irving Garcia took the ball down the right side, beat a defender and found Spencer Thompson at the six-yard box. The forward then one-timed a shot past Woszczynski into the lower left corner to give his team an early one-goal lead.
However, the Blazers would answer less than a minute later, at the 10:28 mark. Senior midfiedler Carlo Schiavoni's free kick off a set piece found the head of Michal Mravec. The sophomore midfielder then hit a flicked header that arched just above the outstretched hands of UCI goalkeeper Andrew Fontein to even the score at 1-1.
The score would remain that way until the 55:03 mark of the second half. That's when UC-Irvine's Rafael Macedo's cross hit Garcia in stride. Garcia then touched a pass to a wide-open Carlos Aguilar, who was able to drive the ball into an open net. The Anteaters would hold that lead until the 89th minute when Elsner's header found the net.
The contest was played in front of a season-high 1,047 fans, most of whom were cheering for the Blazers.
"I thought our crowd played a huge factor tonight," Getman said. "We had a lot of support in the stands and it really did help our guys out. This was the best team we played all season, and it was a total effort."
The final round of the UAB "Soccer For A Cure" Classic begins on Sunday, Sept. 14 when UC-Irvine takes on Memphis at 11:30 a.m. The Blazers and Leathernecks will square off immediately following that match (2 p.m.).
The contest is free to UAB students who have a valid student ID. Additionally, students and UAB men's soccer season ticket holders are encouraged to come and enjoy free food and drinks at a pregame tailgate that will begin 90 minutes before the Blazers' game begins.
