Sept. 12, 2002
Box Score
Samford freshman Bridgit Martin scored the first goal of her collegiate career in the 107th minute to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 overtime victory against Mercer Thursday night in the Atlantic Sun Conference opener for both teams.
Samford improved to 5-0 on the season matching its best start in school history. The victory also kept the Bulldogs unbeaten in conference openers in its six-year history while Mercer fell to 0-4-1 on the year.
The Bulldogs dominated the opening five minutes of play, but it was Mercer that got on the scoreboard first with a goal by Helena Fock in the 23rd minute on the counter attack. Midfielder Sarah Tummons sent a ball down the right side which Fock ran onto and placed a perfect shot in the far post corner to give the Bears a 1-0 lead which they held until halftime.
After the intermission, Samford's Lindsay Shanks scored her fifth goal of the season just one minute into the second half. Christina Dortch sent a well placed through ball that put Shanks 1-on-1 with Mercer goalkeeper Karolina Revay. Shanks made a move to elude Revay and placed the ball into the empty net to tie the score. Shanks scored for the four-straight match tying a Samford record held by Mitzi Mahan in 1999 and Tiffany Hansen in 1998.
"We are finding ways to win," said head coach
Todd Yelton. "We had the opportunity to pack it in and go home with a 1-0 loss but we showed a lot of character in coming back. In this league, when you can get a victory on the road you increase your chances of making the tournament."
Samford out shot Mercer 14-9 in regulation but only found the back of the net once. In the first 10-minute overtime each team had one scoring opportunity. Shanks found Marian Wagner at the top of the 18-yard box but her shot went wide. Mercer came back with a chance when Tummons had the ball inside the Samford penalty box but her shot was blocked by the Bulldog defense.
With three minutes remaining in the second overtime, Dortch sent in a long ball which was chested down by Wagner to Martin who sent a shot that was deflected by Revay but rolled into the corner of the goal for the Bulldogs fifth win of the season.
The Bulldogs will go for their sixth straight victory on Saturday when they travel to Troy State for a 1 p.m. match.
