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CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- The Samford University soccer team will begin play in its 2017 Southern Conference schedule Friday at 6 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs square off against the Western Carolina Catamounts in a highly-anticipated matchup to be held at the Catamount Athletic Complex.
 
Samford (4-5-1) heads into Friday's conference opener riding the positive momentum of a four-match undefeated streak. Since coming up short on the road at Kennesaw State on Sept. 3, 1-0, the Bulldogs have played to a 1-1 draw with Georgia and earned identical 1-0 road victories against Western Kentucky, UC Davis and Saint Mary's (CA).
 
On Sunday, Samford registered its third straight shutout victory as the Bulldogs used a stifling defensive performance and an early penalty-kick goal from senior Jermaine Seoposenwe to knock off Saint Mary's.
 
Seoposenwe's game-winning goal, her team-leading sixth of the season, occurred in the 16^th minute of play. After being fouled in the box, Samford was awarded with a penalty kick and Seoposenwe sent a perfectly-placed attempt into the bottom left corner of the net.
 
At exactly 15:02 into the match, Seoposenwe's goal gave the Bulldogs an early 1-0 advantage and it proved to be all that Samford needed for the victory.
 
Senior goalkeeper Anna Maddox posted her third straight shutout Sunday. The Bulldogs' All-SoCon performer from Warner Robins, Georgia, tallied a match-high five saves against Saint Mary's and played a huge role in the team's victory.
 
Maddox hasn't allowed a goal in over 369 minutes of game action and was named the SoCon Player of the Week on Tuesday for her performances last week.
 
Western Carolina (3-5-1) enters Friday's match with hopes of bouncing back from a hard-fought 1-0 road loss to No. 25-ranked NC State on Sunday. The Catamounts have been victorious in two of their last three matches, which included wins against UT Martin, 3-2 (OT), and Campbell, 4-3.
 
Junior forward Megan McCallister currently leads Western Carolina with four goals and three assists this season for a total of 11 points. Sophomore forward Emily Threatt has also added a trio of goals for the Catamounts this season.
 
Western Carolina has consistently used a pair of goalkeepers throughout the 2017 campaign. Sophomore Jacquelyn Gnassi has started five games for the Catamounts and boasts a team-best 1.55 goals-against average, while true freshman Natalia Icen has started in three contests this season and owns a 2.08 GAA.
 
Last year, Samford and Western Carolina met in Birmingham, Alabama, for their annual SoCon matchup and the Bulldogs earned a 2-1 home victory. Seoposenwe scored both of Samford's goals on penalty-kick attempts in last season's win.
 
Following Friday's SoCon showdown at Western Carolina, the Samford University soccer team will next be in action Sunday at 1 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs continue their weekend road swing against the ETSU Buccaneers in another tough road test to be held at Summers-Taylor Stadium in Johnson City, Tennessee.
 
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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