BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The first-place Samford University soccer team will face the toughest challenge of its 2012 home schedule Friday as the Bulldogs welcome the second-place UNCG Spartans to the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium for a momentous Southern Conference matchup slated to begin at 7 p.m. (CDT).
 
Samford (9-5-2, 6-0-2 SoCon) and UNCG (9-6-1, 6-1-1 SoCon) enter Friday's contest as the top two teams in the conference. The Bulldogs are in the midst of a two-match winning streak, while the Spartans have been victorious in three-consecutive outings.
 
Prior to the match, Samford's 2012 senior class will be honored with a special Senior Night presentation. The Bulldogs' three seniors this season are Kaley Blanton, Adrianne Mancino and Sabbath McKiernan-Allen. Fans are encouraged to arrive at least 15 minutes early in order to enjoy the presentation.
 
The Bulldogs head into Friday's showdown riding the positive momentum of a two-match winning streak. After playing to a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Appalachian State on Oct. 7, Samford tallied back-to-back road victories against The Citadel and College of Charleston over the weekend.
 
In their 1-0 triumph at College of Charleston on Sunday, the Bulldogs used a key second-half goal from junior Michelle Moll to post its key road victory. Moll's goal was scored in the 57th minute of play as Samford outshot the Cougars, 8-6.
 
Samford's sophomore goalkeeper Melissa Montgomery notched her second straight shutout Sunday and recorded her third of the 2012 campaign. The Bulldogs' native of Georgetown, Texas, finished with three key saves against College of Charleston.
 
For her outstanding efforts over the weekend, Samford's Montgomery was named the SoCon Player of the Week by both the league office and College Sports Madness. She was flawless in goal last week, posting a pair of shutouts as the Bulldogs remained unbeaten in SoCon play with a pair of road wins.
 
Samford's Montgomery made eight saves and posted a 0.00 goals-against average in victories over The Citadel and College of Charleston. Against The Citadel last Friday, she made five stops in the Bulldogs' 2-0 win, good for her second shutout of the season.
 
UNCG enters Friday's contest with a full head of steam after recently posting three straight victories against Wofford, 1-0, Davidson, 1-0, and at Georgia Southern, 1-0. The Spartans are in the midst of a six-match undefeated streak, with their only blemish occurring Oct. 5, as they played to a 1-1 draw with Furman.
 
UNCG's lone loss in SoCon play was suffered against Western Carolina, 1-0, on Sept. 23. The Spartans are riding an 18-game road conference unbeaten streak dating back to a 2-1 loss at Davidson in 2010. UNCG owns sole possession of second place in the current SoCon standings.
 
Samford is in the midst of a significant streak of 22-straight matches without a loss in conference play. The Bulldogs' last defeat was in the 2010 SoCon Championship game against UNCG, 1-0.
 
In the all-time series standings between Samford and UNCG, the record is deadlocked at 2-2-1. The rivalry began in 2008 with a scoreless draw held in Birmingham. The Bulldogs then earned a 2-1 road win in 2009 before the Spartans rattled off back-to-back victories in 2010, including the SoCon Championship game. Last season, Samford registered a 1-0 triumph on the road in Greensboro, N.C.
 
The Bulldogs will honor their 2012 senior class Friday with a special Senior Night presentation. Samford's senior class has already compiled a remarkable 48-18-12 overall record, a dominant
30-3-8 conference mark and a stellar 23-7-9 record while playing at home.
 
The Bulldogs' senior trio has also led Samford to a SoCon regular-season championship, a SoCon Tournament title and a trip to the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
 
Kaley Blanton has consistently proven to be one of the Bulldogs' key offensive threats. Earlier this season, she was named to the all-tournament team of the Louisville Cardinal Classic after scoring three of Samford's four goals en route to winning the championship title. For her efforts, Blanton was named the SoCon Player of the Week and a member of the national CS360 Primetime Performers honor roll.
 
Despite dealing with a nagging injury this season, Blanton is currently ranked fourth on the team in goals and fifth in points.
 
Throughout her Samford career, Blanton has always been willing to do whatever it takes to get a victory. As a sophomore, she moved from her position as a defender to a forward and immediately lifted the Bulldogs to wins against UAB and Southern Miss. In the 2010 Samford Invitational, Blanton scored a pair of momentous goals and later earned her inaugural SoCon Player of the Week award.
 
Sabbath McKiernan-Allen will go down in Samford lore as one of the top players in school history. A two-time All-SoCon performer, she has been listed in the Bulldogs' starting lineup for 47-consecutive matches, dating all the way back to her sophomore season in 2010.
 
McKiernan-Allen has perennially been tabbed as one of the most athletic defenders in the Southeast and played a huge role in Samford's defense that finished last season with a stingy 0.82 goals-against average. A year ago, en route to leading the Bulldogs to an NCAA Tournament appearance, she started in all 22 matches and was named a First-Team All-SoCon performer.
 
As a true freshman, McKiernan-Allen immediately stepped onto the scene and earned playing time in 17 matches. For her efforts, she was named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team and has been a staple in the Bulldogs' starting lineup ever since.
 
Adrianne Mancino will also go down in Samford history as one of the best players of all-time. A versatile athlete and dominant competitor, she is not only one of the top defensive players in the SoCon, but also one of the most clutch offensive players as well. Her resounding scoring strikes have lifted the Bulldogs to a number of game-winning performances; including their momentous 1-0 thriller over College of Charleston in the 2012 SoCon Tournament.
 
Mancino's late goal secured Samford's automatic bid to the 2012 NCAA Tournament, as she garnered SoCon All-Tournament honors. Throughout her illustrious four-year career, she has started in 51 matches and has proven to be a solidifying force on the back line.
 
As a junior, Mancino played a key role in Samford's NCAA Tournament run and earned national CS360 Primetime Performance honors after scoring a key game-winning goal against Georgia Southern. Already this season, she has tallied three goals and added four assists, while garnering SoCon Player of the Week honors from College Sports Madness on Sept. 24.
 
Friday's key match will be live-streamed for FREE through Samford Sports TV, as will the rest of the Bulldogs' home matches this season. Head to samfordsports.com/showcase and click on the event.
 
Following its first-place showdown with UNCG, the Samford University soccer team will next be in action Sunday at 2 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs remain at home for another key SoCon matchup with the Elon Phoenix to be held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.