The men’s soccer team will travel to play the UAB Blazers in a key C-USA match up tonight. With a win, the Mustangs will clinch the first seed in the C-USA tournament coming up in November.

With a record of 14-0-3, the Mustangs are the top-ranked team in collegiate soccer for the fifth consecutive week this season. SMU will face the UAB men’s team, which is 7-6-2 and is looking to clinch a C-USA tournament birth with a victory.

Both the Mustangs and Blazers have great motivation to win this match and it should shape up to be a good one. The Mustangs have the advantage defensively, which is evident by the fact the Mustangs only allow an average of .47 goals per game. The Blazers have allowed an average of 1.60 goals per game this season. The Mustangs also have the offensive advantage, having scored an average of about 2.65 goals per game while the Blazers score about 1.57 goals per game.

The Mustangs are looking to build on their win over Memphis last Saturday that broke a two game winless streak. The Blazers’ Jerson Monteiro poses the largest threat to the Mustangs. Monteiro has won the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week once this season and has scored 12 goals in 15 games.

The Mustangs defensive, unit that features senior defenders Jay Needham and Mynor Gonzalez should be able to limit the production of Monteiro. Another shutout, however, will require a team effort that controls the midfield, limits the Blazers’ scoring opportunities, and capitalizes on scoring opportunities.

If the Mustangs accomplish these goals, they will undoubtedly come away with another victory.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Birmingham, Ala. The Mustangs return to Dallas this Saturday to play their final game before heading to the C-USA tournament in Tulsa.