Sept. 27, 2002

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- UAB (4-3-1, 0-1 C-USA) will play its second Conference USA contest of the season when it welcomes East Carolina (2-5, 1-2 C-USA) to West Campus Field on Saturday, September 28, at 1 p.m.

The Blazers will be attempting to avenge last season's 2-0 loss to the Pirates in Greenville, N.C. ECU's Brian Deutsch scored two goals in the upset victory.

"This is going to be a big game for our guys" UAB head coach Mike Getman said. "East Carolina is a good team who is capable of pulling off some big wins, and that is something we know first hand. Our guys need to be focused on this game."

The Pirates enter the contest after dropping a 1-0 decision to UNC Wilmington on September 25. ECU is a young team which has just one senior, goalkeeper R.J. Marvinney, and 16 freshmen and sophomores. In conference play, East Carolina lost to South Florida (4-0) and Charlotte (1-0) before defeating DePaul by a score of 2-1.

The Blazers are coming off possibly their biggest win of the season, defeating No. 24 Tulsa, 2-1. Junior forward Jose Rayo scored the game-winning goal with just 15 seconds remaining in regulation time to pull out the victory. Marin Pusek also struck for his first goal of the season and assisted Rayo's game-winner. UAB has played just one conference game this season, falling to rival Saint Louis by a score of 3-0.

This game will mark East Carolina's first-ever trip to Birmingham, and just the second time the two schools have met on the soccer field.