Oct. 16, 2009
Box Score
GREENSBORO, N.C. -
The Samford University soccer team registered its biggest Southern Conference victory in school history Friday as the Bulldogs came from behind to knock off the first-place UNC Greensboro Spartans 2-1 at the UNCG Soccer Stadium. Samford's Leah Leppert and Amber Cress both scored goals in the historic win.
"I'm so proud of our players right now," said Samford head coach Todd Yelton. "Everybody was fantastic and they all played their hearts out. This was a huge win for our team and I'm proud of how they bounced back from Sunday's draw with Wofford. Our players stepped up to the challenge today and beat a very good team on the road."
Cress, Samford's senior forward from Zionsville, Ind., tallied the game-winning goal less than a minute into the second half. The score was her team-leading sixth of the 2009 campaign. Cress has now scored 22 career goals and is only five shy of becoming the Bulldogs' all-time goal-scorer.
With Friday's momentous victory, Samford (9-1-3, 4-1-3 SoCon) handed UNC Greensboro (9-6, 5-2 SoCon) its first home conference loss in over four years. Since a 2-1 setback against the College of Charleston on Sept. 25, 2005 - a span of 22 matches, including three SoCon tournament first-round games - the Spartans had been 21-0-1 against league teams at home prior to the Bulldogs' triumph.
UNC Greensboro struck first in the match as Tabitha Padgett tallied her team-leading seventh goal of the season in the 11th minute of play. On the score, she rebounded her own shot attempt and then found the back of the net from point-blank range.
Samford didn't waste much time in bouncing back to even the match at 1-1. Only eight minutes after Padgett's goal, the Bulldogs' Leppert was on the receiving end of a Cress pass and demonstratively scored the equalizer. The goal was Leppert's first of the season and was tallied at 20:14 into the match.
Cress and Natalie Fleming were credited with assists on the play. The helper was Cress's team-leading sixth of the season, while Fleming tallied her first assist of the campaign.
"UNC Greensboro scored that early goal, but our team wasn't discouraged at all," Yelton said. "They put us in a place where we were forced to chase the game a bit and I think it helped us to go on the attack. I thought it was definitely huge when Leah scored to tie the match at 1-1. After that, we seemed to gain confidence and that was great for us."
After playing to a 1-1 score at the half, Samford's Cress came out early in the second period and notched the game-winning goal 42 seconds into the frame.
On the score, Cress received a Paige Lanter pass at midfield and dribbled her way downfield through a pair of UNC Greensboro defenders. Once in front of the goal, she rifled a shot into the bottom left corner of the net past goalkeeper Kelsey Kearney.
"I think that Amber has demonstrated that she is definitely one of the best forwards in the conference," said Yelton. "The assist that she had on Leah's goal was fantastic and she really helped put her in a good spot. Her game-winning goal was beautiful and she showed what a great competitor she is out there."
Following Samford's second score, UNC Greensboro ratcheted up its attack and rattled off nine second-half shots. The Bulldogs' All-SoCon goalkeeper Alyssa Whitehead finished the match with six saves, including a pair of critical stops late in the second half.
"Down the stretch, Alyssa was tremendous," Yelton said. "UNC Greensboro really pushed the attack and put a lot of pressure on us, but she stood strong and made a couple of world-class saves."
In only its second season as a member of the prestigious Southern Conference, Samford has compiled a 1-0-1 record against perennial conference-leader UNC Greensboro. Last year, the Bulldogs and Spartans played to a 0-0 draw at Bulldog Field in Birmingham, Ala.
The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Sunday at 1 p.m., as the Bulldogs continue their arduous SoCon road trip with another critical matchup against the Elon Phoenix at Snyder Field.
