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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University soccer team will compete in its first home match of the 2016 season Sunday at 6 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs play host to the Troy Trojans in a highly-anticipated, in-state contest to be held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium. Sunday's match will end a 12-year hiatus in the series between the teams.
 
Samford (0-0-1) heads into the contest with some good momentum after battling to a hard-fought 0-0 draw at South Alabama on Friday. The Jaguars, who went 18-3-2 last year and toppled LSU, 4-0, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, entered the season ranked No. 26 in the nation.
 
Friday's match was dubbed a showdown featuring the best two mid-majors in the country.
 

RECAPPING FRIDAY'S DRAW AT SOUTH ALABAMA
On the road in a tough environment, Samford used a stellar performance from junior goalkeeper Katie Peters and a resilient effort from its talented back line to tally a 0-0 draw in the Bulldogs opening match of the season held at USA's "The Cage" Soccer Complex.
 
Samford, which fell short at home against South Alabama last season in an offensive shootout, 3-2, turned up its defensive pressure Friday and held the Jaguars' high-powered attack without a goal.
 
The Bulldogs tallied 13 shot attempts, with four proving to be on-goal. Two of Samford's best scoring chances in the first half came off the foot of dynamic sophomore midfielder Courtney Hendrickson. One of her attempts caromed off the right post, while the second was stopped via a diving save from South Alabama goalkeeper Sarah Hay.
 
Hay notched four solid stops, but Samford's Peters stole the show with eight brilliant saves, many of which were key stops in nearly improbable circumstances. Peters, the Bulldogs' junior native of Greenfield, Indiana, set a personal single-game record with eight saves. Her performance topped a seven-save outing in a 3-2 home victory against Vanderbilt on Sept. 13, 2013.
 
Samford handily won the possession battle in overtime and outshot the Jaguars, 5-2, in the final 20 minutes of play. The Bulldogs also garnered an 8-7 lead in corner kicks.
 
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Troy (1-0) enters Sunday's match will a full head of steam after tallying a demonstrative 2-0 road victory at Gardner-Webb on Friday.
 
Despite having seven shots in the first half, the Trojans were unable to crack the scoreboard until Brooke McKee tucked away a cross from Abby Reynolds in the 54th minute. Reynolds then tallied a goal of her own 20 minutes later when she one-timed the ball into the net off a rebound. Reynolds' goal was the 16th of her career moving her into a tie for sixth all-time at Troy.
 
The Trojans ripped off 15 shots against the Bulldogs, six on frame. Troy also recorded seven corners in the match while allowing just two.
 
The Trojans started three freshmen Friday in Klara Andrup, Maddie Brune and Nicole Strahl. In total, 12 players made their debuts for Troy including transfers Alex Huynh and Emily Stearns, who both started the game.
 
RECAPPING TROY'S 2015 CAMPAIGN
Under the tutelage of third-year Head Coach Jason Hamilton, Troy has reached new heights as a program and has proven to be one of the top contenders in the Sun Belt Conference. Hamilton owns a 31-10-2 record with the Trojans, which has been his first head coaching stop after assisting at Florida, the Boston Breakers (National Women's Soccer League) and Miami.
 
In 2015, Troy garnered a 14-4-2 overall record with its only losses on the season coming against Alabama, 1-0, USF, 1-0, South Alabama, 2-1, and Georgia State, 2-1.
 
The Trojans were recently predicted to finish second in the Sun Belt for a second straight season as junior goalkeeper Mikki Lewis was tabbed as a preseason Second-Team All-SBC performer.
 
RECAPPING SAMFORD'S 2015 CAMPAIGN
Samford, the defending back-to-back Southern Conference champion, concluded its 2015 season with a brilliant 14-5-1 overall record. The Bulldogs earned a momentous 2-1 victory over Wake Forest and posted a near-perfect 8-1 record in conference play.
 
Samford finished last season with nine players earning All-SoCon honors and Head Coach Todd Yelton was named the SoCon Coach of the Year for a second straight year.
 
In 2016, the Bulldogs return nine starters from this last year's championship squad. Samford also boasts an additional 11 returning letterwinners, as well as its highly-touted, 10-member recruiting class.
 

Yelton, the three-time SoCon Coach of the Year, owns a brilliant 176-79-33 career record at Samford University. His talented coaching staff is comprised of Jay Yelton and Alyssa Whitehead.
 
The Bulldogs finished 10-3 at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium last season and boasts a head-turning 68-20-13 record in home matches since 2006. During that time, Samford has registered historic victories against Auburn (twice), Wake Forest, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Kentucky, Memphis (four times), Southern Miss and UAB (three times).
 
Samford has registered at least 11 wins in seven straight seasons and has advanced to the semifinal round of the SoCon Tournament in seven of its eight years in the conference. The Bulldogs hold an 8-5-4 all-time record in SoCon Tournament matches, as well as a 74-17-18 mark against SoCon opponents.
 
SAMFORD vs. TROY - - THE ALL-TIME SERIES
The Bulldogs own an 8-1 all-time record against Troy. The teams, which were both members of the Trans-Atlantic Athletic Conference (TAAC) – later renamed the Sun Belt from 1997 to 2002, squared off eight times in those six years with Samford earning a 7-1 record.
 
In 2004, the Bulldogs traveled to Troy and tallied a 2-0 road victory, but that matchup proved to be the final meeting between the teams. Samford boasts a 3-1 record against the Trojans when playing at home in Birmingham.
 
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?
Following Sunday's home-opening contest against Troy, the Samford University soccer team will next be in action Friday at 6 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs begin a two-match stretch against Southeastern Conference opponents as they travel to face Georgia on the road in Athens, Georgia. Friday's matchup will be held at UGA's Turner Soccer Complex.
 
On Aug. 28, Samford will return home to Birmingham to square off against the No. 14-ranked Auburn Tigers at 6 p.m., at the Samford Track and Soccer Complex.
 
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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