Oct. 27, 2009

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -

The Memphis men's soccer team will play host to the Alabama A&M Bulldogs on Wed., Oct. 28, at 7 p.m., at Mike Rose Soccer Complex. The Tigers enter the fixture with a mark of 6-5-2 on the season. Alabama A&M is 3-9-1 entering Wednesday's match. The game will be the second-straight non-conference contest for the U of M.

"It is always good to play Salah's (Yousif) teams," said Memphis head coach Richie Grant. "They are always well-coached. They are a good footballing side. Our games have always been enjoyable. Our record has always been quite impressive against them. We hope to continue that against them on Wednesday."

 Memphis is coming off a 2-0 defeat of SIU-Edwardsville on Sat., Oct. 24. The Tigers used two goals in the last eight minutes to take down the visiting Cougars. Hugo Mondragon, a freshman from Houston, Texas, put in what proved to be the game-winner off a corner kick from Memphis senior midfielder Brian Farrell. The goal was Mondragon's second off a header this season. The Tigers second goal came when Parker Duncan's shirt was grabbed in the penalty area by the other team resulting in a Memphis penalty kick.

Thomas Shannon, a sophomore defender from Broken Arrow, Okla., took the penalty kick for the Tigers. Shannon connected, putting the Tigers ahead comfortably at 2-0.

Memphis goalkeeeper Michael Goodlett had one of his more impressive outings last Saturday against the Cougars. The native of Bolton, Miss., came up with several vital stops that kept the Tigers in the game. Goodlett ended the contest with eight saves, a season-high.

Alabama A&M has been led this season by Abraham Kassaye. The junior forward from Virginia, has six goals and one assist for Yousif's squad this season. Offensively, the Bulldogs have gotten a boost from the play of Rogers Atugonza, a midfielder from Uganda, with four goals and two assists.

In goal, the Bulldogs are led by senior Paul Musoke. The netminder has a 1.80 goals against average and 57 saves coming into Wednesday's fixture. Memphis is 9-5-0 against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs all-time.

The Tigers and Bulldogs first met in Memphis' initial season of collegiate soccer in 1982. The Tigers lost the game with the Bulldogs, 11-0. Memphis last played Alabama A&M in 2007, with the Tigers winning 1-0. Alabama A&M made five-straight NCAA appearances from 1981-85. The Bulldogs were the national runner-up in 1981 to UCONN.

The Tigers will follow up the Alabama A&M match with two fixtures against conference foes. On Sun., Nov. 1 the Tigers and Tulsa Golden Hurricane will battle in Tulsa, Okla., in a nationally-televised fixture. The game will begin at 2:05 p.m. Memphis will wrap up the season with a home match against South Carolina on Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. On Friday, the Tigers will host their annual Tommy Smith Banquet at the Billy J. Murphy Athletic Complex on Memphis' Park Avenue Campus. The weekend's festivities will also include a alumni match pitting alumni vs. alumni prior to Memphis vs. South Carolina match at Mike Rose Stadium.

Click here to view a recently posted interview with Memphis freshman Hugo Mondragon.

Click this link to view another recently posted interview with Memphis freshman Mark Sherrod.