UAB Blazers (0-0) vs. South Alabama Jaguars (0-0)
Aug. 17, 2018 • 7 p.m. • BBVA Compass Field (1,500) • Birmingham, Ala.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Richard Moodie (Carson-Newman, 2006)
Record at USA: 14-6-1 (2nd year)
Overall Record: 62-45-8 (7th year)

UAB
Erica Demers (Oakland, 2004)
Record at UAB: 13-4-3 (2nd year)
Overall Record: Same

SERIES INFORMATION
UAB leads 3-0.

Current winning streak: UAB, 3 wins
USA's last win in series: N/A
Last meeting: UAB 2, South Alabama 1 2OT (8/22/14)
USA's record on the road: 0-2
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 0 / 3
Notes: UAB is one of two schools to have at least three wins against no defeats vs. South Alabama (South Florida 3-0)… The two schools didn't meet for the first time until 2003, and not again until 2013 and 2014… The Blazers won the most recent meeting in 2014 with 2.9 seconds left in double overtime.

FRIDAY'S GAME
The Jaguars have outshot their opponent 16 times in the last 19 games.

USA was 3-0-1 in overtime games last season (3-0 in Sun Belt play). The year prior, the Jags went 0-3-1 in extra time.

South Alabama is 14-2-1 in its last 17 games.

Brianna Mascia scored a goal — the match winner — in her first appearance in a Jaguar uniform vs. Alabama A&M. She started and recorded one shot in USA's second exhibition.

South Alabama allowed just three shots total, and only one on goal, in the exhibition win over Southeastern Louisiana. Last season the USA defense allowed three shots on goal or fewer 10 times.

UAB recorded 13 wins last season after posting 11 in the previous three seasons combined.

The Blazers return two of their top three scorers from 2017, including Megan Hudgens (7 G, 19 P) and Caroline Kehrer (7 G, 17 P). Hudgens had a goal and an assist in their 3-0 exhibition win over Jacksonville State.

MOODIE'S QUOTES ON UAB
On the regular-season opener: "We're really excited about the opportunity to play the first game. It's going to be good competition to play an in-state rival. It's a great facility up there at UAB so it'll be a great way to start the campaign."

On the positives of the exhibitions: "We designed it to be a gradual progression and that's exactly what it has been. It was a little more difficult against Southeastern Louisiana. They were more organized athletically compared to Alabama A&M, who were just very athletic and difficult to play against. UAB will have the athleticism, the organization, and they'll be able to play the game. They went from a team that was hardly scoring any goals, to all of the sudden scoring lots of goals last year. They have lots of set pieces up their sleeves. We rarely do homework for the non-conference games; we just focus on us. Now we'll have to focus more on the other team, but the main focal point will be on us and how we show up and play."

On UAB's turnaround last year: "They got a new coach. It's the same group of players. It's similar to what happened here at South Alabama. Coach (Graham Winkworth) came in, took the old coach's team and won it. The players react to that change and new ideas, and it's like a rebirth of a program. It's more evident with a team that's not been successful and you get the players to react, more than when you take over a South Alabama; it's hard to find the differences there. They got a new coach, the players tried to prove a point and it's a clean slate for everyone. (Head coach Erica Demers) has done a great job over there. She's a very good coach and has the team organized. They're a team we have a lot of respect for."

On preparing for UAB: "We did our homework and know what they've got. They scored a lot of goals off set pieces and have some tendencies in how they play, so we tried to identify that. It's like a S.W.O.T. analysis – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Once we've done that, we can tell our players how to adjust or compensate. As long as we can be free-flowing when we've got the ball, we'll create chances. Defensively, if we can get it right, we'll be difficult to break down. They've lost a couple of good players but they have a few that are in their senior year. Our players need to be aware of those dangerous players, but looking for trends is the main thing."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Upper 90 Club, the soccer specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All gifts to the Upper 90 Club go directly to support the South Alabama soccer program. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/upper90

—USA—