Sept. 12, 2010

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University soccer team earned its second straight 2-0 win Sunday as the Bulldogs defeated the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles in the championship match of the 2010 Samford Invitational held at Bulldog Field. Samford defenders Leah Leppert and Sabbath McKiernan-Allen both scored goals in the victory.

"Sunday games are always tough for us, especially after very competitive Friday night games," said Samford head coach Todd Yelton. "We are very happy to get the win, but I wish we would have been a little better in front of goal, but at the end of the day, we're happy to get the result."

With the win, Samford (4-2-1) concluded its 2010 home tournament with an unblemished 2-0 record. On Friday, the Bulldogs opened play in the four-team, two-day competition with a 2-0 victory against Kennesaw State. Samford extended its winning streak to four-consecutive matches Sunday and remained undefeated at home this season with a 4-0-1 record.

In the third-place match held prior to Samford's victory, Kennesaw State rallied for a 2-1 win against Georgia Southern. Kennesaw State finished the tournament with a 1-1 record, while Georgia Southern placed fourth at 0-2.

Samford concluded its early-season, five-match homestand with a 4-0-1 record. After playing to a 2-2 draw with Mercer on Aug. 27, the Bulldogs have rattled off consecutive shutout victories against Southern Miss 4-0, UAB 1-0, Kennesaw State 2-0 and Tennessee Tech (2-5), 2-0.

For their outstanding play in the 2010 Samford Invitational, the Bulldogs' Alyssa Whitehead, Hilary Samuels, Leppert and McKiernan-Allen were all named to the All-Tournament Team. Whitehead, Samford's 6-foot-3 All-Southern Conference goalkeeper has recorded four straight shutouts and has not allowed a goal since the second half against Mercer.

With Sunday's loss, Tennessee Tech had its two-match winning streak snapped. Prior to facing Samford, the Golden Eagles had rattled off consecutive victories against UNC Asheville and Georgia Southern. Tennessee Tech's Kerri Reid, Leigh Heffner and Kris Cambron were all named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Bulldogs improved their all-time record against Tennessee Tech to 8-2-1. Samford holds a six-match winning streak against its former Ohio Valley Conference rival and Tennessee Tech's last win in the series occurred Oct. 30, 2002, in a 3-2 decision held in Cookeville, Tenn.

"Tennessee Tech is a tough team and (Head coach) Daniel (Brizard) is doing a very good job with that program," Yelton said. "That's the best Tennessee Tech team that we've ever faced and they made it very difficult to score and their players compete. To get a positive result today was our key goal and we're just glad to have it."

Samford jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in Sunday's championship match as Leppert tallied her first goal of the season at 12:25. On the game-winning score, Leppert took a direct kick from approximately 30 yards out on the right side of the field and rifled a hooking shot into the top right-hand corner of the net.

The Bulldogs' second goal of the match was also scored on a set-piece. Just over five minutes into the second half, McKiernan-Allen notched her first goal of the season as she headed in a corner kick.

On the play, senior Paige Lanter sent a high corner kick from the left side into the box and McKiernan-Allen skied over a Tennessee Tech defender to head the ball into the back of the net. Lanter was credited with an assist on the play.

"Jay (Yelton) spends a lot of time with our players working on set-pieces and we recently put in a few more wrinkles, so we were really happy to see that pay off today," said Yelton. "So, I have to give full credit to Jay and our players for organizing that.

"We're a young squad and we just want to get better and better as the year goes on. Hopefully, by the time we get to conference play, we'll be starting to peak a bit and we just want to keep working hard, rolling up our sleeves and getting better. We just need to try to keep this positive momentum going."

The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Friday at 7 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs travel to Auburn, Ala., for an in-state matchup against the Auburn Tigers. The non-conference duel will be held at the Auburn Soccer Complex.

2010 Samford Invitational
All-Tournament Team

Alyssa Whitehead, GK, Samford (MVP)
Sabbath McKiernan-Allen, D, Samford
Hilary Samuels, MF, Samford
Leah Leppert, D, Samford
Kerri Reid, MF, Tennessee Tech
Leigh Heffner, D, Tennessee Tech
Kris Cambron, F, Tennessee Tech
Alma Gardarsdottir, MF, Kennesaw State
Alyssa Mahan, MF, Kennesaw State
Carlee Storey, MF, Georgia Southern
Katie Merson, GK, Georgia Southern