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Updated Samford StatsBIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University soccer team played host to its highest-ranked opponent in school history Sunday as the Bulldogs dropped a hard-fought 3-1 decision to the No. 3 Virginia Cavaliers in front of a raucous crowd at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.
"I thought we played well for the last 45 minutes of the match," said Samford head coach
Todd Yelton. "We showed our youth there in the first half. We started nine underclassmen and just two seniors today and I think it showed there a bit early on. Virginia is a Final Four team and we played a little timid and immature there in the first half, but I was really happy with our effort in the second half."
Samford (3-3) fell behind 2-0 in the first half of play Sunday, but received a pivotal, momentum-changing goal from sophomore
Malcanisha Kelley early in the second half. Kelley's game-changing score proved to be her second of the season and trimmed
Virginia's (5-0) advantage to 2-1.
The goal also proved to be the only score that the Cavaliers have allowed in 450 minutes of play this season.
On Kelley's goal, the Bulldogs' explosive forward from Childersburg, gathered a perfectly-placed forwarding pass from
Amanda Abbott on the right flank. She then took a couple of dribbles, forced Virginia's goalkeeper Jessie Ferrari to challenge before chipping a brilliant 25-foot floater neatly into the back of the net.
"I thought we had loads of possession in the second half and we knocked it really well," Yelton said. "I felt like it was at least 50-50 from a possession standpoint in the second half, and if you're doing that with the youth of our program, then I think you're going to be happy as a coach."
Kelley's goal gave Samford new life early in the second of play. The Bulldogs outnumbered Virginia in corner kicks, 2-1, and rattled off two shot attempts in the final half of action.
"I thought we had a lot of really good opportunities to score another goal there in the second half, but things just didn't go our way," said Yelton. "I was really happy with our players in the second half once their nerves wore off. At halftime, I just told them to relax and do their best, because I thought in the first half we were intimidated by Virginia and their national ranking."
The Cavaliers' first-half goals were scored by junior Brittany Ratcliffe and senior Morgan Brian. Ratcliffe's goal was setup by Brian and proved to be her fourth of the young 2014 campaign. Virginia's second score was tallied by Brian in the 41
st minute of play.
Midway through the second half of play, the Cavaliers' Veronica Latsko scored Virginia's third-and-final score of the afternoon following a crossing pass from Danielle Colaprico. The goal was Latsko's second of the season.
Down the stretch, in the final 27 minutes of play, neither team scored as the contest finished 3-1.
The Cavaliers' victory Sunday snapped Samford's three-match winning streak. Already this season, the Bulldogs have faced top-notch opponents in No. 3 Virginia, No. 14 South Carolina and Cincinnati. Samford's wins were registered against Jacksonville State, 3-2, Georgia State, 2-1 and Belmont, 2-0.
"Virginia is a fantastic team and they are going to win a lot of games this season," Yelton said. "They were picked to win the ACC this year and their movement is exceptional. I think we grew up a bit and hopefully we can gain some confidence from this and be ready for another tough match Friday night."
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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Updated Samford Stats
