BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Freshman forward Freddy Ruiz scored two goals to lead the No. 24 UAB men's soccer team to a 3-0 victory over Lipscomb Saturday night at West Campus Field. The contest was the final non-conference match of the 2012 season. 

"I thought we played pretty well for most of the match," head coach Mike Getman said. "Lipscomb is a very good team. They possessed the ball well, they worked hard, but in the end I think we did enough to win the match, and also kept a clean sheet so I was pleased with that."

Goalkeeper Raphael Ville made three saves and the back line kept the Bisons from taking any clear shots in the second half. Ville and the Blazer defense have not allowed a goal in 211 consecutive minutes entering Conference USA play.

UAB (5-2-2) dominated from the beginning, with Ruiz striking first for the Blazers with an unassisted goal in the 38th minute. Ruiz also scored UAB's final goal of the game late in the 89thas Karl Chester and Kofi Gyawu set him up for a clean shot at the net.

"Freddy, like most freshman the first couple games, was nervous and had a hard time doing what he's done his whole life," Getman said. "The last three or four games, he's kind of figured out that it's still just soccer. He got a goal the other night, two tonight. He's a great scorer and his confidence is really coming up." 

Chase Wickham, who also scored in UAB's previous game, recorded the other goal on the night. Freshman Ian Svantessoncollected his team-leading second assist of the year when he made a pass at the top of the box to Wickham, who beat the Lipscomb keeper in the 52nd minute.

Ruiz and Wickham have combined to score UAB's last five goals.

"I was so pleased to see Chase score, because he works so hard all the time," Getman said. "He's one of our hardest workers every single match, so to see him get the rewards, get the goal, and for him two games in a row, I was happy for him. It was a big goal for the team, but you love to see someone who works that hard get some of the fun stuff too."

UAB outshot Lipscomb 16-9 for the match, including a 10-5 advantage in the first half. 

"I think we have played a lot of strong, powerful teams over the last nine games," Getman said. "It's gotten us as ready as you can be for league play. This game was fast, this game was physical, and the schedule that we've played up to this point has really gotten us ready for conference play."

That test will come on Saturday, Sept. 29, when the Blazers open C-USA play against defending tournament champion SMU. The contest will kickoff at 7 p.m. CT at West Campus Field.

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