Oct. 23, 2004

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University soccer team fought to a 0-0 draw against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on Friday as the Bulldogs played their first overtime contest of the 2004 season. Samford's Crystal Royall tallied seven saves in the non-conference matchup, while Coastal Carolina's Jaclyn Stoll made six stops of her own.

"We played a lot of our younger players tonight and we were able to get a lot of experience," said Samford head coach Todd Yelton. "We knocked the ball around really nicely and were able to keep possession, so I thought that we played an attractive match of soccer. Unfortunately, we just weren't able to put one in the back of the net."

Samford (8-5-1) extended its undefeated streak to four-consecutive matches and recorded its eighth shutout of the 2004 campaign. With the draw, Coastal Carolina (6-8-2) tied for the second time this season and was held scoreless for only the fourth time this year.

After playing in a school-record nine overtime contests a year ago, Samford participated in its first extra session of the season on Friday. The Bulldogs finished with a 4-0-5 mark in overtime matches last season and currently hold a 0-0-1 record in 2004.

"As a team, we are usually good for at least one tie a year and it's just good for us to get it out of the way before Sunday," Yelton said. "I was concerned about our team looking ahead to Sunday's match, but I don't think that was the case tonight. I thought that our team competed well. They had good composure and I think that we were a little unorganized at points, but overall we played well."

In his three years at the helm of Samford's soccer program, Yelton has never been on the losing end of an overtime contest. During his tenure, Yelton has compiled a 7-0-7 record in extra-session matches.

Samford ended Friday's matchup with 14 shots and six shots on goal, while Coastal Carolina accumulated 10 total shots and seven shots on goal. The Bulldogs outnumbered the Chanticleers, 6-2, in corner kicks, but were also whistled for double the amount of fouls, 14-7.

Royall, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference's Defensive Player of the Week, anchored the Bulldogs' back line by pulling down seven saves. The senior goalkeeper has only allowed seven goals this season and has accumulated six shutouts. She is Samford's career leader in shutous with 20.5.

"I thought that our front runners did a great job of creating chances," said Yelton. "We weren't able to knock one in, but they created some opportunities for us. Defensively, I thought that Crystal played well again and our back four did a solid job of containing their forwards. They (Coastal Carolina) have some very talented athletes and we did a good job of keeping them scoreless."

In the first half of play, Coastal Carolina outshot the Bulldogs, 6-3. The Chanticleers applied a burst of offensive pressure late in the first half and registered five shots on goal. Samford finished the opening 45 minutes of play with two shots on goal.

The Samford University soccer team will next be in action on Sunday at 2 p.m., as the Bulldogs play for their second-straight OVC regular-season championship against the Morehead State Eagles. With a victory, Samford would win the 2004 OVC championship and host the conference's prestigious postseason tournament.

Samford (8-5-1) tied Coastal Carolina (6-8-2), 0-0

CCU 0 0 0 0 - 0

SAM 0 0 0 0 - 0

Scoring: None

Saves: SAM, Crystal Royall 7; CCU, Jaclyn Stoll 6

Yellow Cards: None