SoCon Tournament Central (Live Video & Live Stats)
SoCon Tournament BracketCULLOWHEE, N.C. -- The Southern Conference regular-season champion Samford University soccer team is ready face the fourth-seeded ETSU Buccaneers in the semifinal round of the 2014 SoCon Tournament on Friday. The contest is slated to begin at 4 p.m. (CST) at the Catamount Athletic Complex on the campus of Western Carolina University.
Samford (13-7) rolled through its quarterfinal match Saturday by posting a lopsided 6-0 triumph over The Citadel.
ETSU (15-5) was forced to postpone its quarterfinal match against fifth-seeded UNCG by a day due to the inclement weather located in northeastern Tennessee, but then advanced to Friday's semifinal with a thrilling 3-2 overtime triumph over the Spartans on Sunday.
In their victory, the Buccaneers scored three goals after halftime, including a 91st-minute game-winner by Hannah Short, to defeat UNCG in Johnson City, Tennessee, in a SoCon Tournament quarterfinal match.
Short, the nation's leading goal-scorer, netted two goals Sunday and garnered sole possession of the SoCon's single-season record for goals (26).
Earlier this fall, Samford and ETSU met on the pitch for the first time in school history and the Bulldogs dropped a 3-1 decision at home. The loss proved to be a huge pivot point in Samford's season as the Bulldogs have been victorious in seven of their last eight matches.
Since losing to the Buccaneers on Oct. 3, Samford has registered a brilliant 7-1 record and has outscored its opponents by a total of 22-3.
Against The Citadel on Saturday, the Bulldogs registered their most dominant SoCon Tournament victory in school history as they received goals from six different players en route to the momentous 6-0 win.
Samford outshot The Citadel, 25-7, and registered a 14-0 margin in corner kicks.
The Bulldogs' defense continued to play lights out and limited the Cadets' high-powered offensive attack to only four shots on goal. Samford true freshman goalkeeper
Anna Maddox tallied four key saves en route to the team's seventh shutout of the season. Maddox owns a stellar 13-7 record in goal and a brilliant 1.22 goals-against average this year.
Including this season, the Bulldogs own a 6-4-2 record in seven tournament appearances, reaching the semifinals six times and winning the title in 2011. ETSU is 1-4 in five appearances in the tournament.
The SoCon released its 2014 postseason honors Tuesday and Samford was honored with five All-SoCon members, a pair of First-Team All-SoCon players, two Second-Team honorees, as well as pair of members on the 2014 SoCon All-Freshman Team.
Additionally, the Bulldogs' head coach
Todd Yelton was named the SoCon Coach of the Year. Yelton received his fourth Coach of the Year honor, including his second during Samford's tenure in the SoCon.
Yelton, the all-time winningest coach in Bulldog history with 161 victories at Samford, now owns a 201-103-36 record throughout his illustrious 17-year career.
The Bulldogs own a 13-7 overall record this season and has now reached at least the 12-win plateau in nine of Yelton's 13 years at the helm.
Samford sophomores
Jermaine Seoposenwe and
Anna Allen were both named to the SoCon First Team on Tuesday. Also honored on were Second Team members
Malcanisha Kelley and Maddox.
Maddox was also honored with SoCon All-Freshman Team accolades Tuesday, and was joined on the listing with midfielder
Virginia McNeill. McNeill, Samford's athletic 5-foot-6 native of Charlotte, North Carolina, has earned playing time in all 20 of the team's matches this season and earned seven starts as a true freshman.
McNeill has logged 1,286 minutes this year, which ranks sixth on the team. She also registered a key assist at Chattanooga on Sept. 28.
On Oct. 3, Samford and ETSU squared off for just the second time in history as the Buccaneers tallied a 3-1 victory held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium in Birmingham, Ala.
ETSU scored all three of its goals in the second half to garner a 3-0 advantage over the homestanding Bulldogs. Samford's Seoposenwe scored her fourth goal of the year in the 87
th minute of action, but its 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.
In Friday's second semifinal matchup to be held at the Catamount Athletic Complex, No. 2 Furman will face No. 3 Mercer at 6:30 p.m. (CST) on Nov. 7.
Both of the SoCon Tournament semifinal matches will air live on the SoCon Digital Network, while Sunday's championship match, set for Noon, will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
For quick score updates, breaking news and links to all of your favorite articles featuring the Bulldogs, please follow
@Samford_Sports on Twitter.
2014 SoCon Women's Soccer ChampionshipOct. 29 (Wednesday)First round (at higher seeds)Match 1: No. 9 The Citadel 3, No. 8 VMI 0
Match 2: No. 7 Wofford 5, No. 10 Chattanooga 0
Nov. 1 (Saturday)Quarterfinal round (at higher seeds)Match 3: No. 1 Samford 6, No. 9 The Citadel 0
Nov. 2 (Sunday)Quarterfinal round (at higher seeds)Match 4: No. 4 ETSU 3, No. 5 UNCG 2 (OT)
Match 5: No. 2 Furman 3, No. 7 Wofford 2
Match 6: No. 3 Mercer 2, No. 6 Western Carolina 1
Nov. 7 (Friday)Semifinals (Catamount Athletic Complex; Cullowhee, North Carolina)Match 7: No. 1 Samford vs. No. 4 ETSU, 4 p.m. (SoCon Digital Network)
Match 8: No. 2 Furman vs. No. 3 Mercer, 6:30 p.m. (SoCon Digital Network)
Nov. 9 (Sunday)Final (Catamount Athletic Complex; Cullowhee, North Carolina)Match 9: Winner Match 7 vs. Winner Match 8, Noon (ESPN3)
SoCon Tournament Central (Live Video & Live Stats)
SoCon Tournament Bracket
