Oct. 7, 2009

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Samford goalkeeper Alyssa Whitehead was named the Southern Conference's Women's Soccer Player of the Month on Tuesday after the Bulldogs' sophomore from Hattiesburg, Miss., only allowed one goal in five matches en route to leading her team to a 4-1 record in September.

Whitehead, only a sophomore, started all five of Samford's matches in September and tallied four shutouts. She faced 23 shot attempts and only allowed a single goal. The Bulldogs' 6-foot-3 stopper concluded the month ranked first in the nation in save percentage (.973) and second in the country in goals-against average (0.12).

Tuesday's prestigious honor marks Whitehead's second SoCon accolade of the young 2009 season. On Sept. 15, she was named the conference's Player of the Week after she tallied four key saves in a 1-0 road victory at Belmont.

Whitehead and the 7-1-2 Samford soccer team will next be in action Thursday at 6 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs travel to Greenville, S.C., for a key SoCon matchup against the Furman Lady Paladins. The contest will be held at Furman's Eugene. E. Stone III Soccer Stadium.