BIRMINGHAM, ALA. - The Drake men's soccer team added another impressive
victory to its growing resume on a rain-soaked Friday evening (Sept. 11) as
junior
Matt Kuhn's
(Raytown, Mo./Raytown South) tally at the 88:48 mark provided the Bulldogs a
come-from-behind 2-1 win over UAB at the UAB "Soccer For A Cure" Classic.
The triumphed pushed 23rd-rated Drake to 3-1 on the year,
while dropping the Blazers' ledger to 2-2.
"Tonight was a terrific result under really difficult
conditions," Bulldog head coach Sean Holmes commented. "To score a goal on the road with less
than two minutes left, yet again, shows the team's collective perseverance and
bodes well for our team in the long run."
UAB got the scoring started in the affair as Michak Mravec's
header off a corner kick from John Markey gave the Blazers a 1-0 advantage in
the 41st minute (40:02).
Senior Luke Gorczyca (Overland Park, Kan./St. Thomas Aquinas) evened the
score 54 seconds later (40:56) off a bicycle kick that beat Carl
Woszczynski. Kuhn was credited
with the assist on the tally.
"We gave up goal on corner but showed great resolve to fight
back within less than a minute to square the game," Holmes said. "It was a great bicycle kick from the
inside six to score for Gorczyca."
The Bulldogs held serve for most of the contest as Drake
garnered advantages in shots (15-10) and corners (9-6).
"I thought we were the better team for most of game but
their athleticism and commitment made it a real contest," Holmes
explained. "Our midfield did a
real good job winning the battles and we had good performances off the bench
for Michael Noonan and Kenan Malicevic."
Junior Kenan Malicevic (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Cedar Valley) helped set up the
game winner as his shot deflected off the UAB defender to the feet of Kuhn who
found the back of the net for his second goal of the year.
Senior Garrett Webb (Prairie Village, Kan./Shawnee Mission East) led all
players with five shots, while Drake received two shots apiece from Kuhn,
Gorczyca and redshirt junior Ted Schleisman (Verona, Wis./Middleton). Anthony King directed the Blazers with
three shots.
Woszczynski and redshirt junior Michael Drozd (Hardwood Heights, Ill./Loyola
Academy) each pulled in four saves.
The Bulldogs close out tournament play versus Memphis on
Sunday (Sept. 13) at 12:00 p.m.
