Tigers and Blazers Come to 1-1 Draw Tuesday Night

Tuesday, September 18

Birmingham, Ala.

7:00 PM

University of Memphis

4-2-2

UAB

1-5-1

OT 3

OT 4

Memphis

UAB

Photo by: Michael Wade

Sep 18, 2018 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Zalzman’s Penalty Kick Provides the Tying Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A back and forth match between the Memphis Tigers and the rival UAB Blazers ends in a 1-1 draw Tuesday night. Memphis moves to 4-2-2 as conference play looms on the horizon.

Memphis started the match in typical fashion this season, earning a corner kick in the second minute of the match. Though the Tigers couldn't capitalize, the emphasis on a fast start has benefited Memphis all season.

The Tigers followed up the corner kick with a pair of shots before the 15-minute mark, but neither found the back of the net.

In the 26^th minute of the first half, UAB struck first, scoring on a shot from in the box that rose into the upper right corner of the net.

Memphis responded in the next 10 minutes, earning an opportunity to tie the match with a penalty kick before half. Senior midfielder and captain of the squad David Zalzman stepped up to take the shot, and calmly put it in. The goal was Zalzman's third of the year.

"It's about who has the confidence to put it in the back of the net," Memphis head coach Richard Mulrooney said about David's penalty kick. "David's obviously done a good job over the years of finishing those off, he's got the composure. He obviously wanted to make sure we tied the game up, so he took control of that. I'm thankful he finished it."

The Blazers attempted to rally off of the PK, taking a pair of shots and lining up a corner kick in the following minutes, but were unable to yield results.

When the first half ended, the score resembled the play on the field, neck and neck. As the second half opened, the feeling was that it would be more of the same.

Back and forth the teams went, each taking shots in the second half, but neither able to take any kind of advantage or gain an upper hand.

"It was a challenging game for us, and it took its toll on us," Mulrooney said of the overall feel of the match. "We never felt like we could really get a feel for it, and we're all disappointed in it."

UAB outshot Memphis 7-3 in the second half, but found the same end results that Memphis found on its few attempts. Keepers and defenses were the story of the night for both teams.

Possession changed hands early and often in the first overtime period, to the point that UAB and Memphis combined for one shot, being taken by the Blazers.

"Credit to UAB, they came out and had a good game plan," Mulrooney had to say regarding the feeling of a tie. "Give our guys credit for coming back and tying it up, but we felt like we sort of let one slip tonight."

The second overtime period came with more action, both teams getting off shots in the final period of the night. Memphis had a prime opportunity in the final minute of play, taking two point-blank shots, but the Blazer keeper was able to get his hands on both shots, keeping the game knotted at one.

Memphis returns home on Sunday to face Cincinnati in the Tigers' American Athletic Conference opener. Match time is slated for 7 p.m., at Mike Rose Soccer Complex.