Samford University
Southeast Missouri*
Soccer Posts Hard-Fought Win Over SEMO, 1-0
10.8.04 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 8, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University soccer team extended its winning streak to five-consecutive matches on Friday as the Bulldogs used a key first-half goal from Kim Matthews to defeat the Southeast Missouri Indians, 1-0, at Bulldog Field.
"This match was very similar to last season's match against them," said Samford head coach Todd Yelton. "We scored our goal at about the exact same time and it was just a battle all night long. I think that (Head Coach) Heather (Nelson) does a great with their team and they are very talented. It was an even match and we just happened to be the team that scored."
Samford (5-4-0, 4-0-0 Ohio Valley Conference) opened league play with four-consecutive victories for the first time in school history on Friday and remained undefeated against Southeast Missouri (7-3-1, 2-1-1 OVC).
The Bulldogs almost jumped out to a perfect 4-0 record in conference play last season, but fell to Eastern Illinois, 3-1, on the road in Charleston, Ill.
With the victory, Samford also earned its eighth-consecutive regular-season win against a conference opponent. In 2003, the Bulldogs finished the year with four-straight OVC wins versus Austin Peay, Tennessee Tech, Morehead State and Jacksonville State. The winning streak propelled Samford to the conference championship in its first year in the OVC.
Matthews, the 2003 Freshman of the Year in the OVC, scored the lone goal in Friday's hotly-contested matchup.
At 19:41 into the first half, the Bulldogs' midfielder from Colleyville, Texas, gathered a precision-perfect pass from freshman Heather Birdsell and one-timed a laser into the bottom right corner of the net. With the score, Matthews' second of the 2004 season, Samford took a decisive 1-0 lead.
On the play, the Bulldogs' Rebecca Bohler and Birdsell were awarded with assists. Bohler, a freshman from Augusta, Ga., fed a nicely-placed pass down the sideline to Birdsell who quick-touched it into the box to Matthews. Bohler currently leads the team with four assists on the season.
Samford's Crystal Royall, the reigning two-time OVC Defensive Player of the Week, registered her fourth shutout of the season on Friday.
"Crystal was outstanding for us in goal today," Yelton said. "She's playing at the next level right now and she's just been unbelievable. With her back there for us, we can make mistakes defensively and still get away with them. We made some mistakes tonight, but she covered for us."
As one of the top goalkeepers in the conference, Royall has already blanked three OVC opponents this year and turned in a critical four-save performance against Southeast Missouri on Friday.
"We have to enjoy this victory tonight, but then we have to come out and start getting prepared for a tough match against Eastern Illinois on Sunday," said Yelton. "They were the No. 2 team in the conference heading into this weekend and they are going to be ready to play."
The Samford University soccer team will continue its two-match weekend homestand on Sunday as the Bulldogs host the Eastern Illinois Panthers at 2 p.m., at Bulldog Field. Admission is free to all home Samford soccer matches.
Samford (5-4-0, 4-0-0) def. Southeast Missouri (7-3-1, 2-1-1), 1-0
SEMO 0 0 - 0
SAM 1 0 - 1
Scoring: SAM, Kim Matthews (2) 19:41 (assists Rebecca Bohler and Heather Birdsell).
Saves: SAM, Crystal Royall 4; SEMO, Carina Souza 3.
Yellow Cards: SEMO, Maria Gianino (53:41), Megan Matter (88:02); SAM, Marian Wagner (89:44).
