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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University soccer team will play host to its highest-ranked opponent in school history Sunday at 1 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs welcome the No. 3-ranked Virginia Cavaliers to the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium for an early-season, non-conference showdown.
 
"Playing at home against Virginia, the No. 3-ranked team in the nation, is a huge opportunity for our team," said Samford head coach Todd 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."
 
Samford (3-2) heads into Sunday's contest with a full head of steam after extending its winning streak to three-consecutive matches Friday in a 2-0 home victory over Belmont.
 
With the triumph, the Bulldogs improved their all-time record against the Bruins to 10-1. Samford also registered its first shutout victory of the 2014 campaign as true freshman standout goalkeeper Anna Maddox earned four key saves.
 
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.
 
Samford's Amanda Abbott scored the game-winning goal 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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
"Virginia is 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."
 
Samford's matchup against No. 3-ranked Virginia (4-0) is widely considered to be the biggest home match in school history, and this is coming from a Bulldogs' nationally-respected program that swept Southeastern Conference teams Tennessee, Auburn and Vanderbilt last season.
 
All-time, Samford owns a 1-3 record against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents. In 2005, the Bulldogs earned a momentous 1-0 road victory over North Carolina State, but have also come up just short in contests with Florida State and Miami (twice).
 
Samford's meeting against Florida State occurred in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. The Seminoles were the No. 6-ranked team in the nation and ultimately advanced to the Final Four of the College Cup where they lost to Stanford. Despite Florida State's top-10 national ranking, the Bulldogs hung tough with the Seminoles, but were eventually defeated 2-0.
 
Virginia advanced to the Final Four of the 2013 College Cup where the Cavaliers were topped by eventual national champion UCLA in penalty kicks.
 
In four matches this season, Virginia has not allowed a single goal and has outscored its opposition by a total of 15-0. The Cavaliers opened their 2014 campaign with consecutive home victories against Marshall, 3-0, Richmond, 4-0, and Villanova, 5-0.
 
On Friday, Virginia competed on the road for a first time this season as the Cavaliers blanked Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 3-0. Sophomore Alexis Shaffer, junior Emily Sonnett and senior Danielle Colaprico scored for Virginia, which posted its fourth consecutive shutout defensively.
 
The Cavaliers controlled the play throughout the first half, but didn't find the back of the net until the 38th minute. Shaffer gained control of the ball on the flank, made a move towards the top of the box and fired a shot that deflected off a defender inside the far post. Shaffer's third goal of the season was the only goal of the opening 45 minutes, even though Virginia held a 12-4 shot advantage.
 
Virginia doubled its lead in the 61st minute Friday. Meghan Cox headed a Colaprico corner kick, which was saved by the goalkeeper. The rebound fell right to Sonnett, who tapped in her first goal of the season.
 
In the 84th minute, the Cavaliers added a final goal as Brittany Ratcliffe was fouled in the box. Colaprico buried the penalty kick opportunity for her first goal of the season and to make the margin 3-0.
 
Overall, Virginia outshot Alabama 23-6 and had an 8-0 corner kick advantage. Sophomore Morgan Stearns made one save to post her second shutout of the season, and the 11th of her career.
 
Following Sunday's marquee matchup with No. 3 Virginia, the Samford University soccer team will next be in action Friday at 7 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs continue their tough stretch of top-notch matches against the Auburn Tigers at the Auburn Soccer Complex in Auburn.
 
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