Oct. 5, 2007

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University soccer team extended its winning streak to four-straight matches Friday as the Bulldogs used a season-best offensive performance to defeat the Jacksonville State Gamecocks 4-0 in an Ohio Valley Conference showdown at Bulldog Field.

Freshman Leah Leppert scored a pair of first-half goals, while sophomore Amber Cress and junior Valerie Kikkert added scores in the second period. The Bulldogs' goalkeepers Cayley Winters and Jenna Sturgill combined for the team's fifth shutout of the season.

"It was obvious that this was an in-state rivalry and it was good for us to get a positive result against a team that we've traditionally struggled with," said Samford head coach Todd Yelton. "This was a rewarding win for us and I'm proud of our team and how they performed tonight."

With the victory, Samford (8-3, 3-0 OVC) extended its winning streak to six-consecutive matches against Jacksonville State (3-7-1, 1-1-1 OVC).

Since both teams joined the OVC in 2003, the Bulldogs have defeated the Gamecocks six-straight times and have not allowed a goal in the series. Samford has outscored Jacksonville State 12-0 since 2002.

Samford's 4-0 win was its largest margin of victory since a similar 4-0 triumph against Arkansas State on Sept. 2, 2006.

The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 2-0 lead Friday behind the early heroics of Leppert. Leppert, Samford's true freshman from Germantown, Tenn., scored her second goal of the season during the fourth minute of play to give the Bulldogs a quick 1-0 lead. Less than four minutes later, she tallied her third goal of the season to extend the advantage to 2-0.

Leppert's first score of the match came at exactly 3:34 into the contest and was assisted by Natalie Fleming.

On the play, Fleming gathered a deflected pass on the right flank and scooted past a pair of Jacksonville State defenders. She then fed the ball into the middle of the box for Leppert who was flashing in from the left. Leppert one-timed the pass and rifled it to the left of the goalkeeper for the score.

Leppert's second goal of the game came on a diving header.

At 7:04, Cress fired a crossing pass from the right flank that Leppert met perfectly in front of the net and caromed the ball to the right of the goalkeeper. The assist was Cress' second of the 2007 campaign.

"Any time you put two goals in the back of the net within the first 10 minutes, you're really making the other team chase that ball at that point," Yelton said. "It really relieved a lot of pressure from our team and allowed us to relax a little bit. Leah is a tremendous athlete and she's just gotten better and better for us this season."

Samford dominated the play and outshot Jacksonville State 23-5. The Bulldogs also recorded 15 corner kicks in the match compared to one for the Gamecocks.

Jacksonville State featured a balanced offensive attack and finished with five players registering one shot attempt apiece. Kaitlyn Maclellan, Kim Kimmel, Debbie Matich, Jennifer Torruella and Alyshia Madison all rattled off shots for the Gamecocks.

"I have tremendous respect for (Head Coach) Julie (Davis) and what she's done with Jacksonville State," said Yelton. "Their players never quit and they kept battling all night. They clawed and scratched for the entire 90 minutes and if you put forth that kind of effort and that kind of commitment, then you'll get positive results."

Samford earned its fifth shutout of the season and was only forced to save one shot in the contest. Winters played the first 79:24 in goal for the Bulldogs, while Sturgill came on in relief for the final 10:36.

During the 62nd minute, Cress scored her second goal of the season on a slicing kick into the left corner of the net. With the score, Samford extended its lead to 3-0 and freshman Melissa Miller was awarded with the assist on the goal.

Late in the match, the Bulldogs' Kikkert tallied her first goal of the season during the 82nd minute of play. The score was assisted by Caroline Baxter who rifled a shot on goal that was deflected and saved by Jacksonville State's Kate Kelly.

After Kelly's diving save, Kikkert recovered the rebound and slammed the ball home for the goal.

The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Oct. 12 as the Bulldogs travel to Richmond, Ky., for an OVC matchup against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels. The contest is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., at the EKU Soccer Field.