GAME NOTES (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University soccer team (0-0-0), the preseason SoCon favorites to win a 10th-straight league title, will travel to Auburn, Ala., to take on the Auburn Tigers (0-0-0) to open the 2023 season Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Auburn Soccer Complex (1,500). The team will then host DePaul (0-0-0) Sunday at 1 p.m. at Shauna Yelton Field.
 
Samford and Auburn have met 18 previous times, with the Tigers holding a 12-3-3 advantage in the series. The teams last met on Sept. 11, 2022, with the game ending in a 1-1 tie at Shauna Yelton Field. The last meeting in Auburn came in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, with Samford winning, 2-0. Samford and DePaul will meet for just the second time, with the first meeting in 2019 ending in a scoreless tie in Chicago.
 
The Bulldogs enter the season returning all 11 starters and every player that scored a goal from a squad that earned the program's ninth-straight Southern Conference regular season title last season. The Bulldogs also won the SoCon Tournament and earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament in 2022.
 
Whitaker Buchanan and Ella Simpson shared the team lead in goals scored last year with five apiece. Layton Glisson, Kylie Gazza and Taylor Yount netted four goals each during the 2022 season.  Samford played two exhibition games, winning both. The Bulldogs picked up a 5-2 exhibition win at South Alabama, and then downed Mississippi State, 1-0. 
 
Auburn is coming off a season that saw the Tigers post a record of 6-6-6 overall and 2-6-2 in the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers return six of their top seven scorers from last season. In 2022, Auburn was led by Anna Haddock with three goals and six assists for a total of 12 points. Maddie Simpson led the team in goals with four, to go along with her one assist for nine total points.
 
DePaul, which will open the season Thursday night at Alabama, posted a record of 3-12-1 overall and 1-7-1 in the Big East Conference last season. The Blue Demons return two of their top five starters from a year ago.
 
The Auburn game can be seen live online on SECN+, while the DePaul game will be broadcast by ESPN+. To follow the games online, click on the following link: 2023 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).