Tigers Start Season with 1-0 Win at UAB

Friday, August 26

Birmingham, Ala.

7:00 PM

University of Memphis

1-0-0

UAB

0-1-0

Memphis

UAB

Photo by: Jimmy Mitchell

Aug 26, 2016 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Freshman Jackson Morse scores match winner

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A 12^th-minute goal from freshman Jackson Morse and a seven-save performance from goalkeeper Jake Leeker were all that Memphis needed to shut out UAB, 1-0, in the season opener Friday night. The Tigers beat the Blazers for the first time since 2012 and notched their first win in Birmingham since 2003.

"The guys worked hard and I couldn't be prouder of them. To get the first win is always the hardest in my mind," Memphis head coach Richard Mulrooney said. "To get a quick start like we got was great. It was all around a solid performance. To come here in the first match of the season with our young group, I would take this result any day of the week."

Morse, who also scored in the exhibition match against Louisville, was in the right place at the right time for his debut goal in a competitive match. The freshman from Dallas, Texas had the ball fall to him on the edge of the box and he slashed it into the bottom corner of the net.

The Tigers very nearly doubled the lead just a few minutes later when sophomore David Zalzman hit the post. Zalzman started and played 85 minutes in his highly anticipated Memphis debut.

Leeker played the full 90 minutes to record his first shutout of the season. The redshirt junior now has three career shutouts.

"Jake was solid but our defense did a good enough job tonight that he didn't have to come up with any unbelievable saves. He made a couple of good saves that you need your 'keeper to come up with. When you hold UAB to a shutout you're doing something right defensively," said Mulrooney.

The Tigers will continue their weekend road trip as they head further east down I-20 to Atlanta to play at Georgia State on Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT).

Memphis will return to Mike Rose Soccer Complex for the home opener against Belmont on Friday, Sept. 2 at 5 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the women's soccer team.

Friday night will be a special night at Mike Rose with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in attendance to recognize two cancer survivors that are special to the Memphis soccer family. Alyssa de Jong, daughter of men's goalkeeper coach Remco, and her cousin, Tyler, were both diagnosed with cancer and have since raised $200,000 to fund and raise awareness for St. Jude. As part of the evening there will be donation tables set up for the families.

Memphis will also host Missouri State on Sunday, Sept. 4 at 2 p.m. There will be a youth clinic prior to the match hosted by the women's soccer team.