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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University soccer team extended its winning streak to three-consecutive matches Friday as the Bulldogs registered a decisive 2-0 home victory against the Belmont Bruins in a key non-conference contest held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.
 
On Sunday at 1 p.m., the Bulldogs will put their three-match winning streak on the line as they play host to the No. 3-ranked Virginia Cavaliers in what is widely considered to be the biggest home match in school history.
 
"I thought we moved the ball really well tonight and that was one of the main keys to victory," said Samford head coach Todd Yelton. "Belmont put a lot of pressure on us to make passes and they are a very hard-working team. I was impressed with their effort for sure."
 
Samford (3-2-0) improved its all-time record against Belmont (2-1-1) to 10-1 on Friday. The Bulldogs also registered their first shutout victory of the 2014 campaign as true freshman standout goalkeeper Anna Maddox earned four key saves in the win.
 
Maddox, Samford's athletic 6-foot goalkeeper from Warner Robins, Ga., has only allowed seven goals this season, two of which came on the road against No. 14-ranked South Carolina.
 
In Friday's contest, Maddox made all four of her stops in the second half as Belmont doubled up its offensive pressure down by two goals.
 
"Anna had to make a few really good saves down the stretch," Yelton said. "We still have a couple of things that we'll need to work on and tighten up, but overall I thought we played very well tonight."
 
Samford's Amanda Abbott scored the game-winning goal of Friday's match in the 36^th minute of action. On the decisive score, sophomore Anna Allen sent a cross deep into the box from right to left. On the pass, a Bruins' defender deflected the cross and the ball caromed directly to Abbott's left side.
 
The Bulldogs' senior forward from Marietta, Ga., then gathered for a shot and rifled the ball past Belmont's goalkeeper Megan Byrd into the left corner of the net from 10 yards out. The goal was Abbott's first of the 2014 campaign and gave Samford its early 1-0 advantage.
 
Allen was awarded her first assist of the season on the play.
 
"Amanda came in and gave us a huge lift in the first half," said Yelton. "I also thought Ariane (Lukens) played extremely well and once we scored the first goal it loosened our nerves a little bit and then Jermaine (Seoposenwe) was able to add the second one. We probably could have scored a couple more goals tonight, but I have to give full credit to Belmont for never giving up in the second half."
 
Samford took its 1-0 lead into the half and outshot the Bruins, 8-1, in the opening 45 minutes of action.
 
Just 2:02 into the second stanza, the Bulldogs' Jermaine Seoposenwe gave her squad its 2-0 advantage by firing home a deep goal from 30 yards out on the right flank.
 
"I need to fess up, that was supposed to be a cross, but I feel like I hit it wrong and it actually ended up going into the goal, so we'll take it any way that we can get it," Seoposenwe admitted laughingly. "As long as we get a win, the team is happy, the coaches are happy and we just need to take that momentum into the next game."
 
Seoposenwe, Samford's highly-touted native of South Africa, has already scored two goals this season and has played a key role in the Bulldogs' offensive attack. Additionally, Seoposenwe has added an assist and rattled off five shots on goal this year. On her goal in the 48^th minute that gave Samford its final 2-0 advantage, sophomore Olivia Cole earned an assist on the play.
 
"I'm really starting to get used to all of the other players on the offensive attack," said Seoposenwe. "I think that Mac (Malcanisha Kelley) and I have a really good combination with Amanda, and we're starting to learn each other's moves. We are starting to play well with each other in the attack and learn the little nuances about each other. If we can keep it up, we will score more goals and get more wins."
 
Belmont outshot Samford, 9-5, in the second half of action Friday, but the Bulldogs' Maddox came up big in goal. The final shot total of the match proved to be Samford 13, Belmont 10.
 
"Anna is getting better and better every day," said Yelton. "We understand that she's not going to be perfect, because she is a freshman, but the way that we play, we just ask that she gives us a great effort and to keep us in the game. She has definitely done that this season and she's really come a long way in a very short period of time."
 
The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Sunday at 1 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs welcome the No. 3-ranked Virginia Cavaliers to the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium for a huge early-season, non-conference showdown.
 
"Virginia is definitely going to be a hard matchup," said Seoposenwe. "They are going to come out with a huge will to win, but we definitely want to win as well. We just need to stay together and connect our passes like the coaches have been telling us, and hopefully we can score some goals and put some pressure on them. We always work hard as a team and our coaches always put us in good positions to win."
 
The No. 3 Cavaliers will mark the highest-ranked team to square off against Samford at home in Birmingham. Earlier this year, the Bulldogs came up just short in a hard-fought 2-0 road loss against South Carolina.
 
"Playing at home against Virginia, the No. 3-ranked team in the nation, is a huge opportunity for our team," said Yelton. "I saw them play in the Final Four last year and you can certainly make the argument that they were the best team there. Now, we can either be intimidated by that or we can look at it as a huge opportunity.
 
"Also, I really appreciate the support of the crowd and all of the great things that our fans do here. We had over 1,000 people here tonight and we really appreciate the community and the students, because they certainly make a huge difference."
 
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