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Oct. 5, 2002

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.. - All you have to do is look at the Atlantic Sun Conference standings to see why tonight's match up between Samford and Jacksonville is important. Jacksonville sits atop the A-Sun standings with a 4-0 conference record and Samford is lurking behind them with a 4-0-1 league record. The two teams will see who gets to lay claim to the top spot at the Samford Soccer Field at 7 p.m. Saturday night

The Atlantic Sun Tournament is still four weeks away but both coaches know the significance of claiming one of the top two spots and earning a first round bye. With UCF thrown in the mix with a 3-0 conference record the winner of tonight's match clears a huge hurdle on its way to a first round bye.

Samford's Marian Wagner scored her third game-winning goal of the season to help lead Samford past Mississippi State on Sunday. The win was the program's first victory against an SEC school and broke the Samford record for most wins in a single season. For Wagner, it was her fifth goal of the season. The three game winners ties the Samford record for game-winning goals is one year held by Hayley Kolb who has done it twice and Mitzi Mahan.

The Dolphins have won nine straight after sweeping Troy State and Mercer last weekend. JU is receiving votes for the southeast region top 10 and is 15th in the nation averaging three goals per match. The Dolphins are tenth in the nation in winning percentage with a 9-1 record. Inge Heiremans leads the team with eight goals and five assists for 21 points. She is 28th in the nation in scoring. JU's goal keeper Stephanie Fowler is 28 in the country in goals against allowing 0.72 goals per game. She is second in the conference behind Samford's Crystal Royall who ranks 20th in the nation with a 0.57 goals against average.

Lindsay Shanks and Wagner have taken up full-time residence on the watch this season. Shanks' next goal will move her into sole possession of second place on the all-time list and will tie the school record for goals in a season. The next Samford shutout will tie the Bulldogs record for most shutouts in a single season. Samford is 6-0-1 in their last seven home matches. Florida Atlantic is the last opposing team to win at Samford on Oct. 11, 2001

The Dolphins are 2-0-1 all-time against the Bulldogs. The two teams battled to a 1-1 draw in last season's meeting in Jacksonville. The only time the teams have met in Birmingham, JU took a 2-0 victory during the 2000 season.