Sept. 22, 2014
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SPRINGFIELD – The Missouri State Bears (3-1-2) and the University of Alabama-Birmingham Blazers (4-2-1) will play a tough non-conference midweek game on Tuesday night in Birmingham. The Bears are coming in with three straight shutouts, while the Blazers just knocked off 18th ranked Coastal Carolina on the road.
The Bears are back in the national leaderboard for both shutout percentage (T-9th in the nation) and goals against average (13th in the nation), and lead the MVC in both categories. Sophomore goalkeeper Addison Watson has recorded three straight shutouts. The school record, set last season, is seven consecutive clean sheets.
While the approach of this Missouri State team is sound defense, the Blazers will be looking to attack. As of Monday morning, UAB ranks 32nd in the nation in total goals and 17th in the nation in total assists.
MSU and UAB last matched up against each other at the 1999 NCAA Tournament. Both sidelines will be paced by the same head coaches in Jon Leamy (23 seasons at Missouri State) and Mike Getman (22 seasons at UAB). The two longtime coaches have 474 combined wins at their respective institutions, with the Bears and Blazers each winning one of the two all-time contests.
Missouri State, who opened Missouri Valley Conference Play on Friday with a victory over Central Arkansas, will start a stretch of three straight and five of six overall matches against non-conference opponents. Drake in Springfield on Oct. 4, is the lone conference game until the middle of October.
The game will be available to watch on the web courtesy of UAB’s live stream. Kickoff at West Campus Field is scheduled for 7 p.m. central time. The Bears will return to Springfield for a season-long four-game home stretch beginning with Saturday, Sept. 27th game against Air Force.
