BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The East Carolina soccer team battled to a 1-1 draw with the UAB Blazers on Thursday night at PNC Field.

Sydney Schnell scored the lone goal for the Pirates before UAB earned a late equalizer.

The Pirates (6-2-3, 1-0-1 AAC) looked like a team on a great run of form through the first 45 minutes of action but failed to find a tally to match. The visitors racked up four corner kicks and eight shots (to UAB’s two) in the first half. The team racked up chance after chance but simply could not find the back of the net.

Lucy Fazackerly had what may have been the most dangerous chance of the first half and it came from long distance as she fired one from well outside the box in the 34th minute. It was a well-placed shot that forced a timely save in the upper left corner of the goal.

The Pirates finally struck when Sierra Lowery earned a foul in the 73^rd minute to earn a free kick for Abby Sowa. Sowa struck the ball perfectly and with 16:37 remaining in the contest Sydney Schnell headed the ball over the head of the Blazers’ keeper for the 1-0 lead. The goal was Schnell’s third of the season, tying the team lead, and her second straight game with a goal.

Schnell’s tally was not to be the winner, though, as UAB (4-3-3, 0-0-2 AAC) found a late equalizer. Off of a foul in the 87^th minute, Graycen Elliott served the pass to Asha Zuniga’s header which found the back of the net or a 1-1 game.

Key Stats

• The Pirates racked up 11 corners to UAB’s one; 12 shots to UAB’s six; and seven shots on goal to UAB’s three; but Eve Beyer made six saves to keep the Blazers alive.
• Sowa, Lowery, Lucy Fazackerley, Jazmin Ferguson and Maeve English went the full 90 once more.
• As disappointing as a draw at the death may feel, the Pirates move their run to three-straight unbeaten as they move deeper into conference play.

Up Next
The Pirates will take Sunday off and be back in action on Thursday, Sept. 28 as they travel to Tampa, Fla. for a date with the South Florida Bulls at 7 p.m.