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LEXINGTON, Va. -- With its 1-0 win at UNCG on Friday, Samford secured at least a share of the 2016 regular-season Southern Conference championship, but the Bulldogs didn't enter the year with aspirations of owning just a piece of the title. On Sunday at 1 p.m. (CDT), Samford will face the VMI Keydets at Patchin Field a win or draw away from sole possession of the regular-season championship.
 
Samford (11-3-2, 7-1 SoCon) enters the meeting with a full head of steam after earning its sixth consecutive victory Friday at UNCG. With the 1-0 win, the Bulldogs registered their 10^th shutout of the 2016 season and improved to 10-1-1 in their last 12 outings, dating back to Sept. 2.
 
Since Sept. 25, Samford is outscoring opponents by a total of 15-1. Additionally, the Bulldogs have already reached the 10-win plateau this season for the eighth straight year.
 

In Head Coach Todd Yelton's record-setting career at Samford, the Bulldogs have won at least 10 matches in 14 of his 15 seasons. Throughout his illustrious career, Yelton is averaging 12 victories per year, has earned eight regular-season championships, five Coach of the Year honors and three trips to the NCAA Tournament.
 
With a win or draw on the road at VMI on Sunday, the Bulldogs would earn the No. 1 seed in the upcoming SoCon Tournament. First-round matchups will be held at the campus sites of the top-seeded teams Oct. 29-30, while the semifinals and finals will be hosted by ETSU at Summers-Taylor Stadium in Johnson City, Tennessee, from Nov. 4-6.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT - - 'DOGS' OVERTIME PK SINKS UNCG ON THE ROAD
Nearly six minutes into overtime at UNCG on Friday, sophomore Korrie Sauder of the Samford University soccer team was tripped and fouled in the box, therefore the Bulldogs were awarded a penalty kick with exactly 4:09 remaining on the clock and the match on the line.
 
Samford's senior forward Jermaine Seoposenwe, the reigning SoCon Player of the Week, stepped up to take the penalty-kick attempt and niftily pushed her shot into the bottom right corner of the net to provide the game-winning goal. Seoposenwe's golden goal gave the Bulldogs a key 1-0 overtime victory and proved to be her team-leading 13^th score of the season.
 

The goal also helped Seoposenwe tie teammate Malcanisha Kelley's school record for goals in a season with 13.
 
On a brisk, windy evening, Samford and UNCG played to a pretty even first half with the 15 mile per hour breeze heading towards the Bulldogs' goal. At the half, Samford and the Spartans had both registered three shots apiece featuring a single shot on goal for each squad.
 
Then, in the second half, with the wind behind the Bulldogs' backs and heading toward UNCG's net, Samford dominated possession of the match as the ball seemingly remained on the Spartans' half of the pitch.
 
The Bulldogs outshot UNCG, 5-2, in the second half and finished the match with five more corner kick attempts, 7-2.
 
Despite Samford's ball control in the final 45 minutes of regulation, the Bulldogs weren't able to push a shot past the Spartans' talented goalkeeper Chloe Buehler. Buehler finished the evening with three saves during UNCG's Homecoming match.
 
In overtime, with the driving wind still at Samford's back, play resembled the final 45 minutes of regulation. The Bulldogs outshot UNCG, 2-0, in overtime before Sauder was fouled in the box to set up the game-winning goal.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
VMI (7-10, 4-4 SoCon) heads into Sunday's contest riding the positive momentum of a two-match winning streak. Since coming up short on the road at Mercer on Oct. 14, 3-1, the Keydets have rattled off back-to-back shutout victories against The Citadel, 2-0, and Chattanooga, 1-0.
 
In Friday's home win over Chattanooga, Sierra Brewer's goal in the 20th minute stood up the rest of the way as VMI defeated the Mocs. Brewer provided all the margin VMI would need, scoring at 19:14 off an Emma Quirk corner kick. It was Brewer's second goal of the year and accounted for all the scoring, as the Keydets won their fourth 1-0 decision of the season.
 
Quirk's assist on the play was her fifth of the year, tying her for the third-most in a season in program history. In addition, the 1-0 victory was VMI's seventh shutout of the season, setting a new school record.
 
VMI outshot Chattanooga, 25-14, in the match. The Mocs tallied six corner kicks, as compared to five for the Keydets.
 
Ceci Keppeler has now earned at least a share of the result in six of VMI's shutouts this year (4.2), becoming the first keeper in school history to do so. In addition, if the season ended today, her goals against average of 1.32 would be the third-best in VMI annals (minimum 900 minutes).
 
SAMFORD vs. VMI - - THE ALL-TIME SERIES
In a young series that began just two seasons ago, Samford leads the Keydets by a count of 3-0 and has not allowed a single goal in the rivalry. The Bulldogs have outscored VMI, 15-0, and own a 1-0 record when playing at Patchin Field on the campus of the Virginia Military Institute. On Oct. 10, 2014, in the first matchup between the teams, Samford cruised to a 5-0 SoCon road victory over the Keydets.
 
DATE                             RESULT                                        LOCATION
Oct. 10, 2014             Samford def. VMI, 5-0             Lexington, Va.
Oct. 9, 2015               Samford def. VMI, 7-0             Birmingham, Ala.
Oct. 31, 2015             Samford def. VMI, 3-0             Birmingham, Ala.
--- Samford leads the all-time series, 3-0; Samford also leads, 1-0, when playing in Lexington, Va.
 
IN THE LAST MEETING - - SAMFORD ADVANCES WITH 3-0 WIN OVER VMI
In a wet and rainy contest held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium last season, Samford defeated the VMI Keydets, 3-0, to advance to the semifinal round of play in the 2015 SoCon Tournament.
 
The match took place in a torrential downpour and included an hour-and-24-minute rain delay. Lightning was never detected in the area, but there were a few standing puddles on the field.
 

Samford's goals were scored by Anna Allen, Sara Smeltzer and Kelley, while goalkeepers Anna Maddox and Katie Peters combined for the team's 10^th shutout of the season.
 
Kelley's score proved to be historic as she tallied her 12^th goal of the year and set Samford's single-season record in the 40^th minute. Additionally, Kelley's goal also set the school's all-time record in goals scored with 27. Kelley achieved the Bulldogs' all-time feat in only three seasons.
 
In the 19^th minute, Samford's Allen was able to break through VMI's defender-laden back half with a laser from 35 yards out. After gathering a splash-inducing throw-in from Seoposenwe, Allen rifled a shot that fit brilliantly into the top left corner of the net.
 
The Bulldogs scored all three of their goals in the first half. Allen's strike occurred before the extensive rain delay, while Smeltzer's and Kelley's happened afterwards.
 
Samford outshot VMI, 22-8, and earned a decisive 7-2 advantage in corner kicks.
 
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?
Following Sunday's road match at VMI, the Samford University soccer team will next be in action Saturday at 6 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs host a first-round SoCon Tournament contest at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium. Samford's opponent in the contest has yet to be determined and will be decided at the conclusion of regular-season play Sunday.
 
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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