August 26, 2005

Rams second half rally comes up short; fall to UAB, 3-2
Release courtesy of UAB Sports Information

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- UAB built a 3-0 lead in the first half and held off a feisty Mobile rally to down the Rams, 3-2, in men's soccer exhibition action Thursday night at West Campus Field.  Brian Garcia and Lukasz Kwapisz each had a goal and an assist for the Blazers and Jerson Monteiro also scored for UAB.

Kwapisz got things started for the Blazers in the 10th minute of play when Derick Radcliffe found him from the right side of the box. Garcia connected with Monteiro on a forward flick up the middle just four minutes later. Garcia's goal came from a Kwapisz pass from the left side in the 21st minute and the Blazers held a 3-0 advantage at the intermission.

Mobile, which made an appearance in the NAIA National Tournament a season ago, scored a pair of goals in just over two minutes when Caetano Lima scored on a pass from Andrew Humphris in the 71st. Humphris then notched a tally himself in the 73rd. Mobile kept up the pressure on UAB throughout the remainder of the game and had a chance with a corner kick with :09 remaining, but freshman goalkeeper Wes Johnson fended off the volley.

The Rams out-shot the Blazers, 24-18, and had a decided advantage on corner kicks with 13 to UAB's 3. Starting goalkeeper A.J. Robles notched a pair of saves in 29 minutes on the field.

No. 10 Mobile now prepares for their regular season opener on Wednesday, Aug. 31 at home against No. 2 Lindsey Wilson College at 4 p.m. in The Jungle.  Admission is free and students who present a student ID at the game will be eligible to sign up for the first-ever "Student Rewards Program" designed to reward students for their attendance at athletic events.

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