Nov. 7, 2011

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - In front of a packed house at the Samford Student Center Monday, the Southern Conference champion Samford University soccer team learned that its first-round opponent in the 2011 NCAA Tournament will be the eighth-ranked Florida State Seminoles. The teams will square off Friday at 7 p.m. (CDT) at the Seminole Soccer Complex in Tallahassee, Fla.

"There are a lot of people to thank, to be honest with you," said Samford head coach Todd Yelton. "This is an awesome feeling to go to the NCAA Tournament. It's really tough to get here. We've been fortunate enough to do it three times since 2005, but it's a tall task, especially in a quality conference like the SoCon."

Samford (14-5-2) heads into the NCAA Tournament riding the positive momentum of a school-record 10-match winning streak. The Bulldogs have also tallied a school-record undefeated streak of 14-consecutive contests, dating all the way back to a hard-fought 2-0 setback at Vanderbilt on Sept. 18.

Already in 2011, Samford went undefeated in conference play and garnered its first SoCon regular-season title in school history. On Sunday, the Bulldogs continued their dominance in SoCon play by defeating College of Charleston, 1-0, in the championship match held at the UNCG Soccer Complex.

In the victory, junior Adrianne Mancino scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute to secure the Bulldogs' win and Samford's first SoCon Tournament title. The score was Mancino's third of the 2011 campaign.

Mancino's blast from 25 yards out with less than three minutes remaining in regulation proved to be the winning tally as No. 1-seed Samford defeated No. 3 College of Charleston.

On the decisive score, Mancino collected the ball and dribbled into space before launching her shot just above the outstretched arms of Charleston goalkeeper Cricket Wise at the 87:29 mark. The goal spoiled an exceptional effort by Wise who recorded five saves and kept the Bulldogs at bay for much of the match.

Samford goalkeeper Alyssa Whitehead notched her eighth shutout of the season, and second of the weekend, while corralling four shots. The clean sheet was the 34th of Whitehead's career, moving her into a tie with UNCG's Kelsey Kearney for the second-most in conference history and the most among active players.

The Bulldogs' Shanika Thomas was named the Most Outstanding Player of the SoCon Tournament, while Samford's Mancino, Sarah Wilkinson and Whitehead were also named to the all-tournament team.

For the 12th year in a row, Florida State (15-6) is headed to the NCAA Tournament. After winning the 2011 Atlantic Coast Conference championship and receiving the league's automatic bid, the Seminoles were recognized as one of four No. 1 national seeds in this year's tournament. It marks the second time Florida State has earned a top national seed.

Friday's first-round matchup marks the first meeting between the Seminoles and the Bulldogs.

Florida State will serve as a host for the first round for the eighth time in school history. In 2007, Samford squared off against LSU at the Seminole Soccer Complex and dropped a hard-fought 1-0 decision in double-overtime.

The Seminoles own a record of 21-1-0 all-time on their home turf in NCAA Tournament action. Florida State earned a national seed for the seventh straight year and for the eighth time in the last nine.

Samford's title is its first as a member of the SoCon, although the Bulldogs will be making their third NCAA Tournament appearance since 2005. Prior to joining the conference, Samford advanced to the postseason in both 2005 and 2007.

"There are a lot of good coaches and a lot of good teams in the Southern Conference," Yelton said. "I'm really proud of our players. We have a big challenge in Florida State. (FSU Head Coach) Mark (Krikorian) does a fantastic job down there. So, it will be a difficult challenge for us, but we'll look forward to it."

Tickets will go on sale beginning Tuesday and can be purchased over the phone at 888-FSU-NOLE, in person at the Seminole Ticket Office located in side C of the University Center, and online at seminoles.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the Seminole Soccer Complex beginning at 6 p.m., on Friday.

2011 NCAA Tournament
Samford at Florida State

Seminole Soccer Complex - Tallahassee, Fla.

Ticket Pricing (Single Game Ticket)
$7 - Adults
$5 - Youth, 12 & under, senior 50+ and students from participating schools
Free - Children 2 & under