Sept. 22, 2007

Jacksonville Game Notes

Birmingham, Ala. ----- The UAB men's soccer team will put its five-game winning streak on the line when it squares off against the Jacksonville Dolphins on Sunday, Sept. 21, at 1 p.m. on West Campus Field. The Blazers are coming off an impressive 2-1 victory at No. 10 Indiana last Friday night, and have now outscored the competition 13-1 over their last five contests.

The Blazers were led in the win over the 10th-ranked Hoosiers by MAC Hermann Trophy candidate Dejan Jakovic. The Etibicoke, Ontario native showed why he is one of the top players in the nation, scoring two goals, including the game-winner with just over a minute remaining in regulation, to lead the Blazers to victory. In seven games this season, Jakovic has found the back of the net five times, and leads the Blazers in goals, points (11), shots (21) and shots on goal (10).

Jacksonville enters the game at UAB sporting a 1-3-1 overall record, following a 3-0 loss at Georgia State last Friday night. Leading the way for JU is senior forward Anton Axelsson, who has scored three of his team's four goals on the season. Junior midfielder Ramak Niakin safi has scored the team's only other goal on the year. Head coach Mike Johnson is in his fourth year at the helm of the Dolphins' men's soccer team, and has compiled a record of 28-38-11 in that time.

The Blazers and Dolphins will meet for the fourth time in school history, with Jacksonville holding a 2-1 advantage. Sunday's match marks the first time the two teams will face off on the pitch since Sept. 17, 1990, when the Dolphins defeated UAB, 5-0, on a neutral site. In fact, Jacksonville's trip to Birmingham will mark the only time it has played at UAB in the series history.

All UAB students who present a valid ID at the gate will receive free food during the game. The contest can also be followed live on gametracker, which can be accessed by going to the UAB website, uabsports.com.