CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Samford University soccer team played in the Southern Conference Tournament championship game for a fifth year in a row Sunday, but the Bulldogs fell, 1-0 at Western Carolina to fall just short of winning a third-straight tournament title.
 
"That's a good team," Samford head coach Todd Yelton said of Western Carolina. "This was a crazy atmosphere here. We gave up a goal on a set piece. We got a few looks, and these games come down to who finishes their chances and Western did. Chad (Miller) is an excellent coach and has an excellent team. He's one of my best friends in the entire world and I think a lot of him."
 
The game was the final college game for 10 seniors and graduate students on Samford's roster. Zoe Clevely, Kyla Reynolds, Layla Brown, Taylor Yount, Lindsay Origliasso, Nikki Bario, Jennifer Seward, Mary Raymond, Alyssa Conarton and Kylie Gazza all ended their Samford careers on Sunday.
 
"I love these kids and I'm grateful I got to coach them," Yelton said. "You can look at the stat sheet and see what kind of kids we have from a soccer standpoint, but that doesn't always reveal their character and who they are and what they're going to be in life. They're going to be these massive successes in life because they're amazing people, hard workers, high achievers and they love people."
 
Origliasso, Seward and Raymond were Samford's representatives on the All-SoCon Tournament team.
 
Western Carolina's Naya Marcil scored in the 11^th minute of the game to give the Catamounts an early 1-0 lead. Neither team was able to score the rest of the way as the Catamounts took home the tournament title and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Whitaker Buchanan led Samford with three shots on the day. Marcil had a team-high four shots for Western Carolina. Samford goalkeeper Clevely saved five shots in the game, allowing just one goal.
 
As a team, Western Carolina took 12 shots, to nine for Samford. The Bulldogs had eight corner kicks, to six for the Catamounts.
 
Samford ends its season with a mark of 12-4-5, while Western Carolina improved to 13-4-3 with the win. The Catamounts will learn their opponent and destination for the NCAA Tournament at the official selection show Monday at 3 p.m. (CT).


 
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