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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University soccer team will play its fifth home match in six outings Sunday at 2 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs welcome the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers to the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium for a key early-season showdown.
 
Samford (3-2) heads into the contest with a 3-1 home record this year, but is coming off a deflating 2-0 road loss at No. 11-ranked Auburn on Friday. The defeat snapped the Bulldogs' two-match winning streak against the Tigers and proved to be their first setback in the annual series since 2012.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
Sunday's matchup will begin a three-game homestand for Samford. Next weekend, the Bulldogs are scheduled to play host to both Duke (Friday at 7 p.m.) and Georgia (Sunday at 6 p.m.). Only two of Samford's opening 11 matches this season will be played away from the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.
 
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Coastal Carolina (3-2) enters Sunday's game with a full head of steam after earning a resounding 3-1 victory at UAB on Friday. In the Chanticleers' win, freshman Kayla Christian registered a hat trick with goals scored in the 14th, 53rd and 65th minutes of the contest. Christian's performance proved to be the first Coastal Carolina?hat trick since 2009.
 
The Chanticleers opened the 2015 campaign with a 2-1 victory over Wofford on Sept. 21. They also registered a similar 2-1 win over Georgia Southern at home on Sept. 28. Coastal Carolina's two losses this season have come against Charlotte, 4-1, and South Carolina, 3-2.
 
THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Samford will be facing the Chanticleers for only the second time in school history Sunday. The first meeting between the teams occurred Oct. 22, 2004, as they battled to a scoreless draw held at Bulldog Field. Coastal Carolina is in its final year as a member of the Big South Conference. It was recently announced that Coastal Carolina will join the Sun Belt Conference in 2016.
 
BULLDOGS' LAST TIME OUT
Samford's two-match winning streak against the Auburn Tigers came to an end Friday as the Bulldogs suffered a 2-0 defeat in a high-profile contest held at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
 
With the setback, Samford lost to No. 11 Auburn for the first time since 2012. In the previous two meetings between the teams, the Bulldogs earned a 1-0 home victory in 2013 before knocking off the 18^th-ranked Tigers, 2-1, on the road last year.
 
Friday's result also moved Samford to 5-2 against Southeastern Conference opponents in its last seven meetings.
 
Additionally, the Bulldogs' two-match winning streak also came to an end. Last week, Samford knocked off both Memphis, 5-1, and Wake Forest, 2-1.
 
Auburn's defense proved to be the deciding factor Friday. The Tigers haven't allowed a single goal this season and recorded their fifth straight shutout of the young 2015 campaign. In five matches this year, Auburn has outscored its opponents by a total of 10-0.
 
Samford's potent offensive attack was limited to six shot attempts. The Bulldogs entered the contest averaging 2.8 goals per game this season.
 
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?
The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Friday at 7 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs square off against the Duke Blue Devils in a highly-anticipated matchup to be held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.
 
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.

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