Box Score BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University soccer team suffered a second straight heartbreaking defeat Sunday as the Bulldogs were upended by the Jacksonville State Gamecocks, 2-1, in their final regular-season, non-conference match of the 2012 campaign held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.
 
“They don't give you wins for possession, they give you wins for putting balls in the back of the net,” said Samford head coach Todd Yelton. “I think we could have played better tonight. It's unfortunate, but we don't get to determine how our opponents play. Jacksonville State had a fantastic game plan and in matches like tonight we need courageous players and players with desire, and we were lacking in both of those areas.”
 
For a second-consecutive outing, Samford (3-5) outshot its opponent by a hefty margin, but fell short in a 2-1 decision. The Bulldogs outshot Kennesaw State, 25-6, in a narrow 2-1 loss Friday. Samford turned in a 22-7 advantage in shot attempts versus the Gamecocks on Sunday.
 
With its victory, Jacksonville State (7-2-1) remained undefeated on the road this season at 4-0 and snapped a six-match losing streak against Samford. The Gamecocks' previous win over their in-state rival Bulldogs occurred in 2002 by a score of 1-0.
 
Throughout the entire match, Samford held the run of play and possession was predominantly spent on the Jacksonville State's end of the field. The Bulldogs rattled off 13 shot attempts in the first half and scored their lone goal of the contest in the 39^th minute as sophomore Amanda Abbott knocked in her second score of the weekend.
 
On Abbott's goal, which occurred at exactly 38:17 in the opening period, true freshman Lindy Robichaux sent a perfectly-placed corner kick into the box from the left side. Robichaux's pass found Abbott right at her feet and she fired a laser towards the right half of the goal. Jacksonville State's goalkeeper Ali Koenig made an improbable diving save, but the ball rebounded directly to Abbott and she slammed home the goal to the left corner.
 
Samford seemed to be cruising into the half with a 1-0 lead when Jacksonville State quickly countered with a goal of its own at 42:42 to equalize the score at 1-1.
 
The Gamecocks' first goal was scored by true freshman Brianna Boutziouvis and was assisted by another true freshman Kat Dowd. On the goal, Dowd sent a high looping cross from left to right to Boutziouvis just outside the box on the right flank. Boutziouvis moved in slightly towards the center of the field and one-timed a shot into the back of the net.
 
The goal was Boutziouvis' fourth of the season.
 
“We certainly should have done better on the first-half goal that we gave up,” Yelton said. “We made a mental mistake, and then on their second goal we were dispossessed and their player just hit a great shot. I don't think that we can fault Jessica (Perry) on either one of those goals. I wouldn't hang either one of their goals on Jessica's shoulders.”
 
Jacksonville State's game-winning goal was scored with less than six minutes remaining in regulation. At exactly 84:23, the Gamecocks' Courtney Hurt gathered a long forwarding pass from Boutziouvis on the right sideline, moved directly ahead for a few yards and then pivoted past a Samford defender and placed a shot and hooked perfectly into the left corner of the goal.
 
The score was Hurt's fifth of the 2012 season.
 
Samford finished Sunday's contest with 12 corner kicks as opposed to one from Jacksonville State. Junior midfielder Trine Taule led the Bulldogs with five shot attempts, while sophomore forward Brittany Hoffman added four and junior midfielder Michelle Moll rattled off three.
 
The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Friday at 4 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs begin SoCon play on the road against the Georgia Southern Eagles in a key early-season conference showdown to be held in Statesboro, Ga.