Live Video
Live Stats

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University soccer team will begin play in its 2015 postseason Saturday at 7 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs welcome the VMI Keydets to the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium for a quarterfinal matchup in the Southern Conference Tournament.
 
Samford (13-5, 8-1 SoCon), the back-to-back, regular-season conference champion, enters the tournament as the top-seeded team in the 10-team field. The Bulldogs opened league play with eight-consecutive victories before dropping a 1-0 decision at Western Carolina on Sunday, the final day of the regular season.
 
The loss proved to be Samford's first defeat in over a month and snapped its winning streak at nine consecutive matches. The Bulldogs also suffered their first defeat in SoCon regular-season play since losing at Furman, 1-0, on Oct. 17, 2014, and saw their school-record shutout streak come to an end at 782:22 minutes.
 
A WINNING TRADITION
Samford has registered at least 11 wins in seven straight seasons and has advanced to the semifinal round of the SoCon Tournament in six of its seven years in the conference. The Bulldogs hold a 7-5-3 all-time record in SoCon Tournament matches, as well as a 73-17-17 mark against SoCon opponents.
 
Last year, Samford defeated The Citadel, 6-0, in the quarterfinal round of the tournament and then knocked off ETSU to advance to the championship match against Mercer. The Bears topped the Bulldogs, 2-1, in the SoCon Tournament final.
 
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
VMI (6-12-2, 2-7 SoCon) entered the 2015 SoCon Tournament as the No. 9-seeded team in the competition. On Wednesday, the Keydets traveled to face No. 8 Chattanooga in the opening round of play and bested the Mocs, 3-2, in a penalty kick shootout. The teams played to a hard-fought 0-0 draw throughout regulation and a pair of overtime periods.
 
VMI's Demetra Protogyrou scored to start round seven of the shootout before goalkeeper Darien Dunham capped a spectacular performance with a save on Peyton McCollum as the Keydets prevailed in penalty kicks over Chattanooga. The match was officially recorded as a 0-0 tie with VMI advancing, 3-2, and reaching the second round of a conference tournament for the first time since 2009.
 
The Keydets are trying to advance beyond the second round of a postseason tournament for the first time. The 2008 and 2009 Big South Tournaments began with quarterfinals, so in both of those seasons, VMI reached the semifinals after advancing just one time.
 
Dunham is the first goalkeeper in VMI history to post more than four shutouts in a season and ranks second in single season VMI history in saves. Six stops would give her the Institute's all-time record.
 
HEADING TO THE TOP OF THE LIST
With her game-winning goal at ETSU last week, Samford's Malcanisha Kelley secured the Bulldogs' second straight SoCon regular-season title and also tied a pair of school records. Kelley tied Samford's single-season record in goals with 11, as well as the Bulldogs' career total of 26. She moved into first place along with former Bulldog-great Marian Wagner in both categories.
 
At home against VMI on Oct. 9, Samford's Kelley scored a pair of goals in the Bulldogs' 7-0 victory.
 
IN THE LAST MEETING
Samford tied its largest margin of victory in SoCon play on Oct. 9, as the Bulldogs notched a 7-0 home triumph against the VMI Keydets in a league matchup held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium. The seven-goal victory equaled its previous SoCon-record total of seven goals, which was also achieved in a 7-0 win at The Citadel on Oct. 3, 2010.
 
The Bulldogs' Sara Smeltzer and Kelley both scored a pair of goals in the victory, while Kaitlyn Orman, Olivia Cole and Kinsey Sessions also added scores.
 
The Bulldogs' 5-0 halftime lead proved to be the team's largest of the season. Samford's seven goals scored proved to be the team's highest offensive output since defeating Chattanooga, 7-1, on Oct. 30, 2013.
 
Statistically, Samford outshot VMI, 30-4, and tallied a 17-2 advantage in shots on goal. The Bulldogs also won the corner kick battle, 9-1.
 
THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Samford and VMI will be squaring off for only the third time in history Saturday. After an 11-year stint in the Big South, the Keydets returned to the SoCon in 2014 and are 0-2 all-time against the Bulldogs. In 2014, Samford tallied a 5-0 road win in Lexington, Virginia, before notching a 7-0 home triumph earlier this season.
 
SURVIVE AND ADVANCE
The winner of Saturday's showdown between No. 1 Samford and No. 9 VMI will advance to next week's semifinal contest to be held in Greenville, South Carolina. The matchup will be held at Furman University on Friday at 4 p.m. (CST) and will feature the winner between No. 4 Mercer and No. 5 ETSU.
 
In regular-season play earlier this year, the Bulldogs were victorious at both Mercer, 1-0, and ETSU, 1-0.
 
For quick score updates, breaking news and links to all of your favorite articles featuring the Bulldogs, please follow @SamfordSoccer and @Samford_Sports on Twitter.

Live Video
Live Stats