Sept. 12, 2008

Final Stats

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB women's soccer team earned a 1-0 overtime win over the Wright State Raiders Friday evening at West Campus Field on the opening day of the UAB Nike Classic tournament. UAB junior forward Danya Barsalona scored a goal with one second remaining in overtime to give the Blazers the win.

UAB earns its first victory of the season and improves to 1-5 overall. Wright State moves to 4-2 on the season.

"Getting this win takes a little bit of the pressure off," said UAB head coach Paul Harbin. "You get so caught up in trying to get that first win, that sometimes you stop concentrating on the things you need to do to get that win."

UAB and Wright State battled back-and-forth to a 0-0 tie at the end of regulation. The match looked as if it was going to go into a second overtime when UAB got two quick shots in during the closing seconds of the first overtime period.

Freshman forward Tiffini Turpin took a shot with three seconds left in overtime. The ball was saved but bounced out off of Wright State goalkeeper Meghan Hackerson.

Barsalona got the rebound shot and put it in the back of the net with just one second left on the clock to secure the 1-0 win for UAB. The goal marked Barsalona's second score of the season.

"Coach always tells us to never give up on an opportunity," said Barsalona. "When Tiffini's shot didn't go in, I went for the rebound and crashed the net. It was a great feeling to win like this."

"Today's game started really slow," said Harbin. "It was slow on both sides. During the second half, I thought both teams picked it up. Everybody came out more energized.

"It was great that we were able to figure out how to finish that way. The key for us from here on out is to start that way and play that way throughout the game."

UAB led in overall shots, 13-8. The Blazers had five shots on goal during the game, compared to four for Wright State.

Barsalona paced UAB in shots with four total, including two shots on goal. Turpin nabbed three shots and freshman midfielder/forward Laura McCalla tallied two shots on the night for the Blazers.

Wright State had eight players take one shot each, including Jen Agueci, Jess Rooma, Amber Kasmer and Sara Palermo with one shot on goal apiece.

Sophomore goalkeeper Kate Blankenship (1-3) returned to the net for the Blazers after missing the past two games and earned the win for UAB. Hackerson (4-2) received the loss in goal for the Raiders.

"It's always a good feeling to win," said Turpin. "But to win in this way it just remarkable. To have that kind of build-up in an overtime game and finally get the win is amazing."

UAB will be back in action on Sunday afternoon when it hosts cross-town foe Samford on the final day of the UAB Nike Classic. The Blazers and the Bulldogs will tangle at 4 p.m. CT at West Campus Field.