Monday, November 06, 2006

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - A-Sun Tournament Champ Gardner-Webb will travel to Birmingham for a NCAA first round match-up with UAB on Saturday, November 11. The winner will face No. 6 Clemson who received a bye into the second round.

The Bulldogs (9-7-3) have allowed just four goals in their last five matches, posting a 4-1-0 mark over that period. Gardner-Webb is making its first appearance in the NCAA Championship. The Blazers(10-6-3) put it all together over the season's final three weeks, going 4-1-1 during that stretch including a 3-0-1 mark against ranked foes. This will be the first meeting between Gardner-Webb and UAB. The Blazers went 1-0-1 versus A-Sun foes this year, tying Mercer 0-0 and defeating regular season champ Stetson 2-0

A-Sun Tournament MVP Dirk Dittrich and All-Atlantic Sun goalkeeper Tyler Kettering will be a pair of key cogs for the Bulldogs in the match as UAB has lost only twice this year when scoring at least two goals The Atlantic Sun is 11-16-0 all-time in NCAA Championship play including an appearance in the title game in 1996. UCF claimed the league's last NCAA win with a 1-0 victory over FIU in 2004.