GAME NOTES--SAMFORD AT GEORGIA (PDF)

ATHENS, Ga. – The Samford University soccer team will travel to Athens, Ga., to take on the Georgia Bulldogs in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday at 5 p.m. (CT) at Turner Soccer Complex.
 
Samford and Georgia have met three previous times, with Georgia holding a 2-0-1 series lead. The programs most recently played in 2017, with the game ending in a 1-1 draw at Samford. The teams also played in 2016 (3-1) in Athens and 2015 (1-0) in Birmingham, both won by Georgia.
 
Samford enters the NCAA Tournament with a record of 11-3-7 overall and 5-1-3 in SoCon play. Samford tied UNC Greensboro, 0-0, but captured the SoCon Tournament title in penalty kicks, 6-5, to earn the league's automatic NCAA Tournament bid.
 
For the season, Samford has been led by Whitaker Buchanan with five goals and five assists for a team-high 15 points. Layton Glisson has four goals and three assists for 11 points, while Ella Simpson has five goals and one assist, also for 11 points. The Samford defense has been stellar again this season. The Bulldogs have allowed more than one goal just once in the regular season in a 2-2 tie with Mercer. 
 
Georgia currently has a record of 12-5-3 overall and 5-3-2 in the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs lost in penalty kicks to 13th-ranked South Carolina in the second round of the SEC Tournament. Dani Murguia leads Georgia with seven goals and one assist for a total of 15 points. Joyelle Washington has netted five goals for the Bulldogs.
 
This marks Samford's seventh trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs have an all-time record of 1-5-2 in NCAA Tournament games. Samford has advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament twice, in both 2005 and 2021. Samford has placed the following teams in the NCAA Tournament: Auburn (1-0), Florida State (0-2), LSU (0-1), Pepperdine (0-1), South Carolina (0-1), St. John's (0-0-1) and Vanderbilt (0-0-1).
 
This season, despite a slow start to Southern Conference play, Samford won a share of its league-record ninth-straight SoCon regular season title. The last time Samford did not win the SoCon regular-season championship was in 2013, when the Bulldogs finished fourth in the league standings. During that nine-year stretch, Samford has posted a combined record of 67-6-8 in SoCon play, winning 87.6 percent of its league games.
 
The game can be seen live on ESPN+, and live stats will also be available. The follow the contest online, click on the following link: 2022 SAMFORD SOCCER SCHEDULE.
 
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS:
For the latest news and information on Samford women's soccer, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com. Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at /SamfordSports (Facebook), @SamfordSoccer (Instagram) and @SamfordSoccer (Twitter).