Oct. 27, 2010

Box Score

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - For the second year in a row, the Samford University soccer team closed out its regular-season schedule with a nine-match undefeated streak Wednesday as the Bulldogs registered a 3-0 victory against the Chattanooga Lady Mocs in a Southern Conference contest held at Finley Stadium.

In the win, Samford received a goal from freshman Trine Taule and a pair of second-half scores from senior Paige Lanter. The Bulldogs also received a record-setting 12th shutout of the season from junior goalkeeper Alyssa Whitehead. Whitehead, the Bulldogs' 6-foot-3 native of Hattiesburg, Miss., tallied six key saves Wednesday and increased her Samford record in career shutouts to 26.

Samford (12-5-2, 8-2-1 SoCon) closed out its 2010 regular season as the second-place team in the conference. The Bulldogs have earned the right to host a first-round SoCon Tournament contest, which will be held Sunday at 6 p.m. (CDT). Samford's opponent will not be known until the result of Thursday's contest between Davidson and Georgia Southern.

Since a hard-fought 1-0 loss against 16th-ranked UNC Greensboro on Sept. 26, the Bulldogs have compiled an impressive 8-0-1 record. Samford's nine-match undefeated streak matched last season's similar nine-match streak in which the Bulldogs tallied a 6-0-3 mark.

With Wednesday's loss, Chattanooga (4-13-2, 2-7-2 SoCon) closed out its regular season in the midst of a 1-2-6 streak. The Lady Mocs dropped to 2-3-2 at Finley Stadium and fell to 1-5 in their all-time rivalry against Samford. Since the Bulldogs joined the SoCon in 2008, Chattanooga has been defeated in three straight matches by Samford.

Taule, the Bulldogs' forward and leading scorer this season, tallied the match's game-winning goal in the 12th minute of play. On the score, Taule's team-leading seventh of the 2010 campaign, fellow freshman Michelle Moll helped set up the goal and was accredited with an assist on the play. The assist was Moll's second of the season.

Less than two minutes into the second half of play, Samford increased its lead to 2-0 as Lanter scored her second goal of the season. On her unassisted score, Lanter stole an errant pass from a Chattanooga defender and fired a shot past the Lady Mocs' goalkeeper Taylor Mangrum.

In the 50th minute, Lanter added her second goal of the match and her third of the season as she gathered a Moll pass and scored to give Samford its final 3-0 decision. The assist was Moll's second of the match.

The Bulldogs concluded the regular season with 33 goals scored and only 13 goals allowed in a total of 19 matches. Since the beginning of October, Samford has outscored its opponents 21-2. The only two goals allowed during the stretch occurred in a 3-2 overtime victory against Furman held in Birmingham, Ala., on Oct. 10.

The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Sunday at 6 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs begin play in the 2010 SoCon Tournament at home in the final match to be held at the venerable Bulldog Field. Samford's opponent will not be known until the result of Thursday night's conference contest between Davidson and Georgia Southern.