Sept. 2, 2011

Box Score

KENNESAW, Ga. - The Samford University soccer team cruised to a 4-1 non-conference win against the Kennesaw State Owls on Friday as the Bulldogs used goals from Katie Proud, Adrianne Mancino, Trine Taule and Sarah Wilkinson to register their first road victory of the young 2011 campaign at the brand-new KSU Soccer Complex.

With Friday's triumph, Samford (2-3) remained undefeated against Kennesaw State (2-3) and extended its winning streak in the all-time series to three straight matches. The Bulldogs' two previous victories in the rivalry were both held in Birmingham, Ala., at Bulldog Field.

Samford's 4-1 win marked an emphatic end to the Bulldogs' three-match losing streak. Prior to Friday's triumph, Samford dropped hard-fought decisions against Alabama 2-1, UAB 1-0 and 25th-ranked Memphis 2-0.

The Bulldogs' four-goal performance also marked their best scoring output since a thrilling 4-3 victory against The Citadel in the semifinal round of the 2010 SoCon Tournament held Nov. 5 in Cullowhee, N.C.

Kennesaw State suffered its second straight loss Friday and allowed four goals in a consecutive match. On Sunday, the Owls played a non-conference contest at Auburn and dropped a 4-0 decision in Auburn, Ala. In five outings this season, Kennesaw State has already allowed a total of 15 goals.

Late in the first half of play Friday, Samford tallied back-to-back goals from Proud and Mancino to jump out to a 2-0 lead.

Proud, the Bulldogs' speedy sophomore from Knoxville, Tenn., notched her first score of the season in the 40th minute as she chipped a shot deep from the right side of the field over Kennesaw State's goalkeeper Emily Cox. Samford's Brittany Hoffman assisted on Proud's first-half goal.

Approximately four minutes later, the Bulldogs' Mancino also tallied her first goal of the season as she came up from her defensive position and rifled a shot from 30 yards out. Mancino's unassisted goal proved to the game-winning score in Friday's key non-conference contest.

Early in the second half, Kennesaw State's Katrina Frost trimmed Samford's lead to 2-1 as she tallied her fourth goal of the season in the 55th minute of play. On the unassisted score, Frost connected on a free kick that was placed just outside the box.

The Bulldogs then scored their third goal of the evening less than 10 minutes later as Taule notched her first tally of the season in the 65th minute. Taule's goal increased Samford's lead to 3-1 and was assisted by Mancino. The goal-scoring header occurred due to a perfectly-placed crossing pass from the Bulldogs' junior native of Lancaster, Pa.

Samford's fourth goal Friday was scored in the 78th minute by Wilkinson. The Bulldogs' senior native of Euless, Texas, tallied her second goal of the 2011 campaign as she sent a shot from the top of the box past the goalkeeper. The unassisted score gave Samford its decisive 4-1 victory.

The Bulldogs' senior goalkeeper Alyssa Whitehead registered her second win of the season. Against Kennesaw State, Samford's 6-foot-3 native of Hattiesburg, Miss., tallied eight key saves and only allowed one goal.

The Samford University soccer team will enjoy a week off from competitive action before returning home to the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium for a critical in-state matchup versus the Auburn Tigers on Sept. 9. The match is slated to begin at 7 p.m., and admission is free.