Sept. 17, 2011

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University soccer team will play its final non-conference contest of the 2011 regular season Sunday as the Bulldogs travel to Nashville, Tenn., for a key test against the Vanderbilt Commodores. The match is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. (CDT) at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex (2,400).

Samford (2-4) enters the contest looking to rebound from a hard-fought 4-2 loss against No. 23 Auburn in its most recent outing Sept. 9. In the in-state rivalry, which was held at the Samford University Track and Soccer Stadium in front of a school-record crowd of 1,321, the Bulldogs jumped out to an early 1-0 victory, but Auburn rallied back late in the second half for the 4-2 win.

Including home matches against Auburn and Alabama, Samford has already faced a total of four Southeastern Conference opponents this year. In the preseason, The Bulldogs played exhibition contests against Tennessee and Mississippi State.

Vanderbilt (5-2) will be Samford's fifth SEC opponent of the 2011 campaign. Heading into Sunday's showdown, the Bulldogs trail the Commodores in the all-time series 0-1-1.

In the last meeting between the teams held Nov. 11, 2005, Samford advanced past Vanderbilt in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The teams played to a 1-1 draw in regulation before the Bulldogs outscored the Commodores in the penalty-kick shootout.

Samford's NCAA Tournament win marked the first time in school history that a Bulldog team advanced past the opening round in the field of 64.

Vanderbilt also heads into Sunday's match with aspirations of bouncing back from a hard-fought loss. On Friday, the Commodores traveled to Memphis, Tenn., and dropped a 2-0 decision against the 11th-ranked Memphis Lady Tigers.

Earlier this season, Samford played host to Memphis and suffered a similar 2-0 setback versus the nationally-ranked Lady Tigers.

Samford's last two home matches were played against nationally-ranked opponents. On Aug. 28, the Bulldogs fell to Memphis 2-0 before losing to the 23rd-ranked Auburn Tigers on Sept. 9.

Following Sunday's showdown with Vanderbilt, the Samford University soccer team will next be in action Friday at 6 p.m., as the Bulldogs begin their Southern Conference schedule on the road against the Elon Phoenix. The key SoCon showdown will be held at Elon's Rudd Field (1,000).

GameTracker - Samford at Vanderbilt