Nov. 12, 2008

Box Score

DALLAS, Texas - Tulsa sophomore Chris Taylor scored off of a low cross from seven yards out in the 64th minute to give the Golden Hurricane a 3-2 lead, just a minute and a half after UAB had tied the score at 2-2 and top-seeded TU went on the down the No. 8 Blazers, 4-2, on Wednesday to advance to the semifinals at the 2008 C-USA Men’s Soccer Championship.

C-USA Offensive Player of the Year Ashley McInnes scored two goals and added an assist for the Hurricane to improve his season point tally to 16. The sophomore has now scored five goals and assisted on six scores.

With the win, the nationally-ranked Golden Hurricane improve to 14-3-2 and have not been beaten since Sept. 13, a streak of 12 consecutive games.

UAB got on the board first just over two minutes into the contest after Tulsa was called for a hand ball in the box, resulting in a penalty kick. All-Conference first-team member Two-Boys Gumede took the kick for the Blazers and fired the ball past TU keeper Andy Aguilar for the early 1-0 advantage.

Tulsa’s Jose Parada, a third-team all-league honoree, tied the score in the seventh minute when he took a long crossing pass from McInnes and one-timed the ball past UAB’s Wes Johnson from 14 yards out.

TU would take its first lead of the game just six minutes later as McInnes took a lob from Corey Albertson and headed in his fourth goal of the season to make the score 2-1 entering intermission.

In the 63rd minute, UAB’s Derek Rios tied the game again at 2-2 after he scored on an uncontested shot from eight yards out. Not two minutes later, Taylor scored his game-winner for TU.

McInnes added his second goal in the 87th minute to set the final margin. Eric DeFretias had settled a loose ball and crossed it over to McInnes, who fired a blast from 25 yards out that kissed off the far post and rolled into the back of the net.

Tulsa head coach Tom McIntosh was happy with his team’s win over the Blazers.

”UAB played well.” McIntosh said. “They really attacked our defense. I thought we played well in the first half taking control after the penalty kick. In the second half we weren’t marking. We knew coming into the game that UAB was a good team. We’ve seen that in the past two years. I’m happy with the win. We know that UAB is not an eighth-seed team and our guys played exceptional. Jose Parada had a superb goal and Ashley McInnes iced the win for us with the fourth goal.”

Rios ended the season as the Blazers’ leader in points with 13, as he had a team-high six goals and added two assists. Gumede was the second leading point scorer for the Blazers. The junior tallied 12 points on five goals and three assists

Tulsa held the advantage in both shots (21-11) and corner kicks (9-6) during the game. TU also doubled up the Blazers in shots on goal, 10-5.

UAB ended its season at 6-10-3.

For complete C-USA Men’s Soccer Championship information visit www.ConferenceUSA.com