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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University soccer team will play host to the Alabama Crimson Tide for the first time since 2011 on Tuesday as the Bulldogs square off against their in-state foe at 7 p.m. (CDT) in a high-profile, non-conference showdown to be held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.

Samford (2-2-2) enters the matchup with a full head of steam after defeating Baylor, 1-0, on Friday. With the double-overtime win, the Bulldogs defeated a Big 12 opponent for the first time in school history.
 
Since dropping a 4-3 decision to No. 24-ranked Auburn on Aug. 28, Samford has tallied a 1-0-1 record. The Bulldogs played to a 3-3 draw at Rice on Sept. 2, before topping Baylor on Friday.
 

THE LAST TIME OUT - - SAMFORD DEFEATS BAYLOR, 1-0
Samford made history Friday at home against the Baylor Bears as the Bulldogs knocked off a Big 12 opponent for the first time in four tries. Samford true freshman Allie Lourie rattled in the game-winning goal to propel the Bulldogs to a 1-0 victory over Baylor in the double-overtime period held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.
 
Samford snapped Baylor's four-match winning streak Friday. Since a hard-fought 1-0 road loss at Michigan State on Aug. 21, the Bears were coming off consecutive wins against Purdue, 5-1, Incarnate Word, 3-0, Northern Illinois, 1-0, and Illinois-Chicago, 1-0.
 
Lourie, Samford's talented true freshman from Atlanta, Georgia, proved to be the heroine in the victory. With less than five minutes to play in the second overtime period, a Baylor defender attempted to clear the ball from the back line, but her pass was deflected and skied high into the air on the left side of goal. Lourie, from approximately 25 yards out, one-timed the ball with her right foot and sent a laser towards the net.
 
Baylor's goalkeeper, Sara Martinson, zeroed in on the shot to her right, but the ball caromed off the left post and bounced directly into the back of the net. Lourie's game-winning goal proved to be the first of her young, up-and-coming Samford career. The shot attempt was Lourie's first of the game and her second on the season.
 
Anna Maddox, Samford's All-SoCon performer from a year ago, made her first appearance of the season and turned in a dominant outing. The Bulldogs' athletic 6-foot goalkeeper tallied the 10^th shutout of her career and finished with four extremely clutch saves, one of which kept Baylor's Amanda Hoglund off the board with just over a minute to play in regulation.
 

MADDOX NAMED SAMFORD PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Samford's Maddox was named the team's Player of the Week for her efforts against Baylor on Friday. In her first match back after recovering from an offseason injury, she returned to the starting lineup and played a huge role in the Bulldogs' 1-0 double-overtime victory.
 
The contest proved to be Samford's lone outing of the week as the Bulldogs knocked off a Big 12 opponent for the first time in school history. Maddox played all 105:13 minutes in goal and faced 11 shot attempts from Baylor. The Bears, who were in the midst of a four-match winning streak and coming off a recent lopsided 5-1 win against Purdue, were held scoreless for only the second time this season.
 
Samford, which was anchored by Maddox in goal, joined Michigan State as the only two teams to keep Baylor from scoring a goal in 2016. Maddox finished with four key saves Friday against Baylor and faced 11 shot attempts. She tallied the 105-minute shutout in her first outing of the season and picked up the 10th of her career.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Alabama (6-1) heads into Tuesday's matchup riding the positive momentum of a lopsided 5-1 road victory at Tennessee on Friday. In the dominant Southeastern Conference-opening win, the Crimson Tide's Chatham DeProspo recorded a first half hat-trick, while freshman Taylor Hubbard and sophomore Abbie Boswell also tallied goals in the win held at the Regal Soccer Stadium.
 
With its victory, Alabama is off to its best start since 2005.
 
The Crimson Tide's lone loss of the season occurred Sept. 2, on the road at No. 20-ranked USF, 1-0. Alabama opened the 2016 campaign with consecutive wins against Sam Houston State, 5-0, Murray State, 4-2, Campbell, 4-0, and Chattanooga, 1-0. Since losing to USF, the Crimson Tide bounced back with consecutive wins against FGCU, 1-0, and Tennessee, 5-1.
 
Alabama has outscored its opponents by a total of 20-4 this season. The Crimson Tide's leading goal-scorer this year is Lacey Clarida with six.
 
SAMFORD vs. ALABAMA - - THE ALL-TIME SERIES
The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide will be meeting on the pitch for a fifth time Tuesday. Samford owns a 1-3 all-time record against Alabama and an 0-1 mark in series matches held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium. The last meeting between the teams occurred Aug. 24, 2012, at the Alabama Soccer Complex in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide was able to hold on for a 2-1 victory. In 2009, the Bulldogs defeated Alabama for the first time as they rolled to a 3-0 home win over Alabama at home at Bulldog Field.
 
SAMFORD'S IMPRESSIVE TRACK RECORD OF MARQUEE VICTORIES
In the last five years, Samford has picked up key wins against Vanderbilt, Auburn (twice), Tennessee, Baylor, Wake Forest, Kentucky, Memphis, UAB and Boise State.
 
Additionally, the Bulldogs' success has been monumental under Head Coach Todd Yelton. Since Yelton took the reins to the Samford soccer program in 2002, the Bulldogs have compiled impressive victories against Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Baylor, Wake Forest, North Carolina State, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Memphis, UAB, Boise State and Southern Miss.
 
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?
Following Tuesday's home match against Alabama, the Samford University soccer team will next be in action Friday at 7 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs conclude their three-game homestand against the Kennesaw State Owls in a key non-conference contest 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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