Soccer Hosts In-State Foe UAB on Friday
9/11/2014 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama remains in Tuscaloosa this Friday for one game after going 1-1 last weekend. The Tide will square off against in-state foe UAB on Friday night. Kick off for the match is at 7 p.m. CT at the Alabama Soccer Complex.
The Tide will take Sunday off as the squad prepares for its first SEC contest next Friday, September 19 vs. No. 8-ranked Florida. The match is the SEC season-opener for the Gators as well.
FOLLOW THE TIDE
Fans can watch/follow this weekend's matches via the below outlets:
Gametracker: RollTide.com
Watch: SECN+
Mick Gillispie (play-by-play) and Molly Atherton (analyst)
Radio: WVUA (90.7 FM)
Twitter: @AlabamaSoccer
THE OPENING KICK
• The Crimson Tide has scored 15 goals in six games this season. Alabama did not reach 15-plus goals until its fourth SEC and 11th overall game last season.
• Nationally, UA ranks 34th in total points (44) and 38th in scoring offense. In the SEC, Alabama currently leads the league in shots on goal (60), ranks tied for second in goals, third in points and total shots (118) and is tied at fourth in assists (14).
• The aggressive offensive attack has produced 118 shots for the Tide compared to just 60 for opponents. The offensive attack is led by senior Theresa Diederich's 10 points (3g, 4a). Diederich ranks 20th in the nation and fourth in the SEC in assists, while ranking 49th nationally in points. Freshman standout Lacey Clarida has produced seven points (2g, 3a), while senior Laura Lee Smith (3g) and redshirt-freshman Hailey Brohaugh (3g) have contributed six points apiece.
SCOUTING ALABAMA
• Alabama enters the weekend with a 3-2-1 record on the season. The Crimson Tide fell to No. 3-ranked Virginia, 3-0, on Sept. 5, followed by a decisive, 2-0, win against in-state foe Jacksonville State on Sept. 7.
• Alabama failed to score against Virginia on Friday, producing just six shots against the Cavaliers. The Tide bounced back on Sunday to fire 30 shots (10 on frame) and scored two goals. The tallies came from senior Theresa Diederich and freshman Lacey Clarida. Diederich and Clarida combined for 14 of the Tide's shots, with Theresa taking eight, a Tide single-game season-high.
• The Crimson Tide has scored 15 goals in six games this season. That's a vast improvement from a year ago, when Alabama did not reach 15-plus goals until its fourth SEC and 11th overall game last season. UA had only four goals and was shut out five times in its first eight games in 2013.
• The aggressive offensive attack has produced 118 shots for the Tide compared to just 60 for opponents. The offensive attack is led by senior Theresa Diederich's 10 points (3g, 4a). Diederich ranks 20th in the nation and fourth in the SEC in assists, while ranking 49th nationally in points. Freshman standout Lacey Clarida has produced seven points (2g, 3a), while senior Laura Lee Smith (3g) and redshirt-freshman Hailey Brohaugh (3g) have contributed six points apiece.
• Alabama returns nine starters and 12 letterwinners off last season's squad, which includes four seniors from a year ago. However, the Tide will be a young team as 15 members of the squad are either sophomores (5) or freshmen (10).
• Senior Merel Van Dongen returns for her senior season after missing the final 12 games of last year with a knee injury. She injured the knee in mid-September training with the Netherlands Women's National Team. Van Dongen, who was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year and a second team All-SEC performer in 2012, scored four goals in the team's first six games a year ago, including a pair of game-winners.
SCOUTING UAB
• UAB comes into its game against Alabama with a 2-3 overall record, but a 2-1 record on the road this season. The Blazers fell in each of their first three contests, losing to the likes of Illinois (L, 3-1) and then-No. 21 Duke (L, 3-1) in two of those matches. Since starting off 0-3, UAB has bounced back winning conescutive games against Davidson (1-0) and South Alabama (2-1).
• The Blazers are led by senior midfielder Johanna Liney. Liney has produced five points on two goals and one assist in 2014. Five players have contributed two points apiece, with four of them scoring one goal (Rachel Green, Morgan Key-Adams, Megan Collins, Sarah Morris) and the last contributing two assists (Paige Hanks).
• UAB's 28-man roster is made up of 12 true freshmen after the Blazers lost six players following the 2013 season.
• The Blazers were picked to finish sixth in the Conference-USA preseason poll in a league vote by C-USA head coaches.
SERIES HISTORY
• Alabama and UAB will meet for the 15th time in series history on Friday night and have met in each of the last five years.
• UAB owns the all-time series, 7-6-1, but have fallen to the Tide in each of the last four contests between the two schools. The Tide and Blazers last met in 2013, when Alabama defeated UAB, 1-0, at the Alabama Soccer Complex on Sept. 15.
• Alabama's lone goal in that contest was scored by Merel Van Dongen. It was her last competition with the Tide before suffering a season-ending leg injury while training with the Dutch national team.
SHOOTING STARS
• The Tide has produced 118 shots in four contests, including a season-high 30 in their game vs. JSU.
• Senior Theresa Diederich placed eight shots, three on goal, in Sunday's win vs. the Gamecocks. Freshman Lacy Clarida added six shots, two on goal. Both girls accounted for the Tide's two goals scored.
• Alabama's 118 shots this season ranks third in the SEC, just nine behind SEC-leader Texas A&M.
NATIONAL & CONFERENCE RANKINGS
• The Tide have produced 44 total points on the season.
• Nationally, UA ranks 34th in points and 38th in scoring offense.
• In the SEC, Alabama currently leads the league in shots on goal (60), ranks tied for second in goals, third in points and total shots (118) and is tied at fourth in assists (14).
HOME SWEET HOME
• The Crimson Tide owns an overall home record of 116-69-11 (.620) in all-time games played at the Alabama Soccer Complex. The 2014 campaign marks the 20th year of venue.
• Alabama earned its 100th victory in Tuscaloosa with a convincing 7-1 win over Kennesaw State in the 2011 season opener.
• Alabama has only posted three losing seasons on its home pitch and posted a school record nine wins in 1996 and was a perfect 6-0 in 1995. The Tide has won five or more matches at home on 15 occasions.
NEXT WEEK
• Alabama will remain home for two contests next weekend.
• The Tide will kick off its SEC season as it welcomes Florida Friday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. CT. The Gators own the all-time series, 15-1-2. UA's lone victory against the Florida came on Oct. 19, 2012, when the Tide won 1-0 in Tuscaloosa. The last meeting between the two squads produced a Gator victory in Gainesville, a 3-0 final.
• Following Friday's match, Alabama will welcome the Alabam State Hornets to the Alabama Soccer Complex on Sunday, Sept. 21. The two teams have only met once in their previous history, with the Tide coming out on top, 9-0, in Tuscaloosa on Sept. 19, 2007.
