MIAMI – FIU closes out its short two-match homestand on Friday, when Conference USA foe UAB visits the FIU Soccer Stadium. First touch is slated for 7 p.m. The match marks the C-USA home-opener for the Panthers. Following Friday's contest, FIU will play its next three matches on the road, at No. 19 Virginia (Sept. 18, 7 p.m.), at North Florida (Sept. 23, 7 p.m.) and at New Mexico (Sept. 29, 4 p.m. ET).
 
FIU PANTHERS
1-4 (1-0 C-USA)
Last Game: Sept. 11 vs. UCF, L, 3-1
Next Game: Sept. 18 at No. 19 Virginia, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Kevin Nylen
Career Record: 13-6-4 (Second season)
at FIU: Same
 
UAB BLAZERS
1-4-0 (0-1 C-USA)
Last Game: Sept. 8 vs. Kentucky, L, 2-0
Next Game: Sept. 18 vs. Memphis, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Mike Getman
Career Record: 317-213-53 (32nd season)
at UAB: 275-187-44 (27th season)
 
Click here to catch all the action live on CUSA TV.
Click here for complete FIU match notes.
 
QUICK HITS
- Friday's contest against UAB is the final match of just three matches – out of nine – that the Panthers will play at home through September ... The final match during that stretch is on Sept. 14, against UAB (7 p.m.).
 
- The Panthers come into their game with the Blazers looking for their fourth-straight win in the series ... FIU holds a 9-7-1 advantage in the all-time series, dating back to the 1997 season.
 
- FIU looks to extend its regular season Conference USA unbeaten streak to 15 matches on Friday night ... The Panthers are 11-0-3 in their last 14 C-USA regular season tilts, with their last loss coming at New Mexico, 4-1, on Sept. 30, 2016.
 
- Santiago Patino is currently tied for second in Conference USA in points with nine (4g, 1a), while also being tied for second in goals scored (4).
 
- Patino has tallied four goals and one assist in his last three matches for nine points.
 
- Patino recorded seven points last week against Stetson (3 pts., 1g, 1a) on Aug. 31, and at Marshall (4 pts., 2g) on Sept. 7 ... His two-goal match against the Thundering Herd was the eighth multi-goal match of his career ... He has also posted 19 career multi-point matches while with FIU.
 
- Joris Ahlinvi is second on the team in scoring with three points (1g, 1a) ... Nick O'Callaghan (2 pts., 1g), Andrew Booth, Inigo Sagarduy and Matias Barraza have all found their way into the scoring column this season.
 
UAB PREVIEW
UAB comes into Friday's match with a 1-4 record and a 0-1 mark in Conference USA ... The Blazers have dropped their last three matches, including their last match against Kentucky, 2-0 ... UAB has four players - Louis-Etienn Nzonza, Aidan O'Hara, Gael Mabiala, and Eder Mora - that have each scored one goal on the year ... All four are tied for the team lead in scoring with two points ... The Blazers have lost two overtime matches on the year, at Pacific (2-1) on Aug. 24, and against Fairleigh Dickinson (2-1) on Aug. 31.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Friday's match is the 18th meeting all-time between FIU and UAB, dating back to the 1997 season ... The Panthers have won their last three-straight matches against the Blazers after an 0-6-1 record in their previous seven meetings ... FIU is 4-4 all-time against UAB at home.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Santiago Patino scored his fourth goal in the last three matches, however FIU couldn't find a groove offensively for 90 minutes as the Panthers dropped a tough 3-1 decision to UCF on Tuesday night ... UCF's Cal Jennings recorded two goals and an assist, including the game-winner in the 61' minute ... He then registered an insurance goal in the 85' minute. ... After UCF scored the first goal of the night, just over four minutes into the contest, Patino tied the match up at 1-1, in the 23' minute ... The Panthers had opportunities periodically during the rest of the match, however could not put anything together consistently ... UCF held a 17-12 shots advantage on the night and a slight edge in shots on goal, 5-4.
 
FIRST TIME PANTHERS
Eight players for FIU saw their first action in a Panthers' uniform on Friday, with three earning their first career start in the blue and gold ... Nick O'Callaghan, Caleb Franke, and Jakob Rylander, all earned the starting nod, while Talla Faye, Jacques Bouvery, Kimani Simons, Errol Spence, and Jules, Desportes, all came in off the bench.
 
PATINO & AHLINVI EARN PRESEASON MAC HERMANN TROPHY AND C-USA HONORS
FIU standouts Santiago Patino and Joris Ahlinvi were named to the Preseason MAC Herman Trophy Watch List along with being named Preseason All-Conference USA ... Patino and Ahlinvi are two of just 32 players nation-wide to be named to the watch list, while FIU is one of just two schools to have multiple players listed (Portland) ... Patino, the reigning C-USA Offensive Player of the Year from 2017, was tabbed as the 2018 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year ... Ahlinvi was named to the Preseason All-C-USA team ... He was also tabbed a First Team All-C-USA selection in 2017.
 
PANTHERS TABBED TO WIN C-USA IN PRESEASON POLL
FIU was voted by the league's head coaches to finish first in this year's preseason coaches' poll ... FIU received four first place votes ... Last season the Panthers were 6-0-2 in Conference USA play and won their first C-USA regular season title.
 
A LOOK AHEAD
The Panthers will hit the road for their next three matches, beginning on Sept. 18, when they travel to Charlottesville, Virginia, to face No. 19 Virginia (7 p.m.) ... FIU will also travel to North Florida for a Sept. 23 date with the Osprey (7 p.m.), before closing out September at New Mexico on Sept. 29 (4 p.m. ET) ... The Panthers return home on Oct. 3, when they take on Florida Gulf Coast at 7 p.m.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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