Sept. 21, 2007

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University soccer team dropped a 3-0 decision against the regionally-ranked Auburn Tigers on Friday as the Bulldogs hosted their in-state foe for only the second time in school history.

All three of the Bulldogs' losses this season have come against regionally-ranked opponents. Auburn (3-2-1) is the 13th-ranked team in the talent-laden Southeast Region, while both Indiana and Miami were listed among their regional leaders as well.

Samford (4-3-0), playing in front of a season-high crowd of 677 at Bulldog Field, held the momentum of the match for the opening 35 minutes of action.

The Bulldogs used their speed and quickness to keep the ball on Auburn's half of the field and missed out on a pair of early scoring opportunities. In the fourth minute of play, Samford's Cassie Applegate headed a corner kick to the far half of the net that goalkeeper Allison Whitworth dove to her left for a spectacular save.

Applegate's header was one of the Bulldogs' four shot attempts in the first period. On Samford's ensuing shot attempt, sophomore Amber Cress rifled a kick from 30 yards out that caromed off the crossbar.

"I thought that we came out and played with a lot of momentum," said Samford head coach Todd Yelton. "We had a couple of early chances to score in the game and if one of those shots goes in then maybe it's a different story. One of the shots hit the post and the other one was saved by a great play."

Auburn gained control of the match during the 36th minute of play as junior Kara Kasten scored her first goal of the 2007 season.

On the game-winning score, Kasten gathered possession of the ball on a miscue by Samford's defense and whipped a shot to the right corner of the net. The unassisted goal occurred at 35:33 in the first half.

"After they scored the first goal, I thought that the momentum changed for the rest of the half," Yelton said. "We can't play a quality side like Auburn and give them any goals. I did see a lot of encouraging things in the game and when we break down the film, I think that there will be a lot of things that we can gain from this."

Shortly thereafter, Auburn scored its second goal of the match and increased its lead to 2-0.

The goal was scored by the Tigers' Addison Ragsdale and was assisted by Kasey Warren. The score was Ragsdale's first of the 2007 campaign and occurred as she headed a looping shot just over the reach of Samford's goalkeeper Cayley Winters.

The assist was Warren's first of the season as well.

Auburn tacked on a goal in the second half of play during the 72nd minute. The score was tallied by junior Kori Hoelscher and was her first of the 2007 campaign. Becca Howell was awarded an assist as she fed a pass up to Hoelscher who turned and fired a shot into the back of the net in the right corner of the goal.

Samford's scoring attack was led by Caroline Baxter, Lauren Cook, Applegate and Cress.

Applegate led the Bulldogs with three shot attempts, while Baxter and Cress each tallied one shot apiece. Auburn's Whitworth recorded her third shutout of the season and finished the match with four saves.

The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Sunday as the Bulldogs conclude their two-match homestand against the UAB Blazers at 6 p.m., at Bulldog Field.