Oct. 23, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- The UAB men's soccer team will look to get back on the winning track when it travels to square off against in-state foe Alabama A&M on Wednesday evening. The Blazers will look to gain a little momentum in their final non-conference contest of the season when they face the Bulldogs, prior to closing the year with three league games.

UAB (5-8-1) entered the season with high expectations and things looked great following a 2-1 victory at then-No. 10 Indiana on Sept. 21, lifting the Blazers to a 5-2 overall record. However, since that time, the Blazers have battled injuries to as many as seven different starters, and enter Wednesday night's contest without a win over their last seven contests.

The Blazers are led on the year by junior Dejan Jakovic, who is making his case as one of the top players in the country. Despite missing three of the last four games with an injury, the MAC Hermann Trophy candidate leads the team with six goals and 13 points on the year. Meanwhile, junior Frank Brown, who missed two games with an injury, ranks second on the team with four goals and 11 points, and leads the squad with three assists on the year. In all, seven different players have scored a goal this season for UAB.

Defensively, the Blazers are giving up an average of just 1.04 goals per game, led by two-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Week Wes Johnson, who has recorded 44 saves and three shutouts on the season.

Alabama A&M will play its first game since a 1-0 loss to Central Arkansas back on Oct. 7. The Bulldogs are led by Futhi Bhembe's five goals and 11 points on the campaign. Mosito Ranko ranks second on the team with four goals, while Eric Kamya has a team-best four assists this season.

UAB has struggled this season in one-goal games, going 2-7 on the year. More telling is the fact that the Blazers have had six one-goal games during their losing streak, dropping all six of those contests.

The Blazers will look to capture a win to gain some momentum heading into the final three contests of the season, two of which will be at home. All three contests will play a part in deciding whether UAB will see postseason action this season.

The contest against Alabama A&M is slated for a 7 p.m. kickoff in Huntsville, Ala.