The Tigers started their AAC title defense on the road at UAB on Thursday. Neither team could find the back of the net in 90 minutes and thus the game was a tie. Memphis moves to 5-1-1, while UAB is now 4-2-2.
First half:
After a bit of a feeling out process, UAB earned a corner kick off a Memphis foul in the third minute, but it sailed over the goal.
Both teams looked to push the tempo, moving very quickly up and down the field. UAB would be called for an offside penalty in the seventh minute during this exchange, giving momentum to the Tigers.
Memphis would attempt to parlay this momentum to get on board but would also be called for an offside in the 13th minute. Despite this, Memphis did a great job keeping the damage to a minimum, keeping it on their side of midfield.
Memphis’ offense was very patient, moving laterally to tire defenders before pushing downfield, earning themselves a corner kick in the 20th minute by Ai Kitagawa. The ball would be kicked well and headed toward the goal and would be just to the left.
Immediately afterwards, Memphis had two opportunities on goal: a header by Ashley Henderson that barely missed and a shot by Momo Nakao that was saved by UAB goalkeeper Anika Toth.
Pressure by the Memphis offense gave them a second corner kick in the 28th minute, which would sail out of bounds off UAB to give Memphis another attempt that went over the net.
After a heated play in the 34th minute, Ashley Henderson shoved a defender, she was called for a red card and was ejected at that point. The Tigers would have 10 players on the field vs UAB’s 11 for the remainder of the match.
The resulting free kick by UAB would turn into a shot by Avery Berryman in the 34th minute but it was well defended by Kaylie Bierman in goal.
Finley Lavin would be called for a yellow card in the 40th minute for a bump in the back, leading to a free kick by UAB and a floated shot saved by Bierman.
A physical first half ended tied at 0-0.
Second half:
UAB looked to start hot and push their personnel advantage, earning a corner kick in the 46th minute. This would be followed by an offside by the Blazers and possession awarded to Memphis.
The Tigers converted this opportunity and turned it into immediate offensive pressure, but a tackle attempt on the ball by Izzy Monick would result in a handball and near own goal by Memphis.
Memphis would brush off these errors quickly and turn up the pace, getting Maddie Eskin a great look at a header in the 51st minute that would go just left of the goal.
A beautiful passing sequence would set up Momo Nakao for a shot on goal in the 54th minute that was saved by Anika Toth.
Memphis generated a free kick that would convey into a shot on goal in the 58th minute by Anne-Valerie Seto. The shot was unsuccessful.
A bad pass by UAB would result in a 64th minute shot by Alex Mackay that was deflected out of bounds, followed by a Memphis corner kick that would be cleared by UAB.
A defensive back-and-forth ensued, as UAB’s Lauren Lucero attempted to break the ice in the 73rd minute but the shot would fly over the net.
Memphis tried to pick up the pace by attempting three shots in the span of a minute in the 77th and 78th, but none of them were successful.
As the game drew near the end of regulation, both teams picked up the pace to try to win before the game ended. Ai Kitagawa forced an 88th minute yellow card, but the free kick opportunity was stopped by UAB.
UAB converted this to an 89th minute corner kick, but it was unsuccessful.
The game ended in a 0-0 tie.
What’s next: The Tigers look for their first conference win of the season as they host UTSA on Sept. 26.
