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Live StatsBIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University soccer team will attempt to put a pair of negative trends to rest Sunday at 2 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs square off against the Western Carolina Catamounts in a pivotal Southern Conference contest to be held at the Samford Track and Soccer Complex.
So far this season,
Samford (6-6, 1-1 SoCon) has struggled on Sundays and is only 1-4 when playing at home in 2014. The Bulldogs haven't won back-to-back matches since Aug. 31 and hold a 2-4 record in Sunday contests. Last week, Samford reversed its trend in the latter issue by cruising to a 3-0 road victory at Chattanooga.
The Bulldogs will also look to bounce back from a 3-1 home loss to ETSU on Friday. The Buccaneers scored all three of their goals in the second half to garner a 3-0 advantage over Samford. The contest proved to be just the second all-time meeting between the new conference rivals and evened the series at 1-1.
Jermaine Seoposenwe, the Bulldogs' dynamic sophomore native of Cape Town, South Africa, scored her fourth goal of the year in the 87
th minute of action against the Buccaneers, but Samford's late rally came up short. After an evenly-played first half, ETSU outshot the Bulldogs, 6-4, in the final period en route to its 3-1 decision.
Western Carolina (5-3-4, 2-0-1 SoCon) enters Sunday's contest as one of the hottest teams in the conference. The Catamounts are in the midst of a seven-match undefeated streak and are coming off a decisive 4-0 victory at Chattanooga on Friday. The shutout proved to be Western Carolina's fifth of the 2014 campaign.
Since suffering a heartbreaking 1-0 double-overtime loss at Lipscomb on Sept. 5, the Catamounts have remained undefeated on the pitch and compiled a 5-0-2 record in their last seven outings.
Western Carolina boasts a 3-1-3 record when playing on the road this season.
Samford will be facing Western Carolina for the seventh time in school history Sunday. The Bulldogs lead the overall series between the teams by a record of 4-1-1. The Catamounts' lone win against Samford came in the second round of the 2008 SoCon Tournament, a 1-0 victory, which was held in Charleston, S.C.
Last season, the Bulldogs traveled to Cullowhee, N.C., and posted a 2-1 overtime victory against Western Carolina.
In the win, Samford earned the triumph after the Catamounts' Tara Budnick accidentally kicked the Bulldogs' game-winning goal into her own net in the sixth minute of overtime.
The score was originally awarded to Samford's
Amanda Abbott, who was battling with Budnick for the ball near Western Carolina's back line. During the melee, Budnick twisted, whirled and connected with the ball sending it over the head of goalkeeper Carly Tintsman and into the back of the net for the game-winning goal.
Samford's opening goal of the match was tallied by
Malcanisha Kelley in the 76
th minute of play. Kelley's score was notched in Western Carolina's 18-yard box after a loose ball and an ensuing scramble for possession. Kelley, the Bulldogs' athletic 5-foot-10 forward, won the battle for the ball and rifled home the goal.
Following Kelley's score, Samford seemed to be cruising toward its third 1-0 triumph of last season. Unfortunately, with the game on the line, the Catamounts believed otherwise and connected on a late goal to equalize the match at 1-1 with just 2:35 remaining in regulation.
Western Carolina's clutch, mere minutes-remaining score was registered by Casey Cooke and assisted by Caitlyn Bradham in the 88
th minute.
Cooke's match-tying goal came from approximately 15 yards out and was neatly placed into the far right side of the net.
The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Sunday at 2 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs remain at home to face the Western Carolina Catamounts in another key SoCon contest to be held at the Samford Track and Soccer Complex.
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