Bryant's First-Half Goal Lifts Bulldogs Past Eagles In SoCon Play, 1-0

Oct. 5, 2008

STATESBORO, Ga. - The Samford soccer team maintained its undefeated record against the Georgia Southern Eagles on Sunday as the Bulldogs earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Eagle Field. In the momentous Southern Conference win, Samford's Mary Shelton Bryant scored the game-winning goal in the eighth minute of play.

With the victory, Samford (3-8-1, 2-1-1 SoCon) improved its all-time record against Georgia Southern (4-5-2, 2-2 SoCon) to 4-0-1. The Bulldogs also extended their winning streak versus the Eagles to four-consecutive matches.

Samford, which has played 10 of its 12 games away from home this season, picked up its initial road victory of the 2008 campaign. The Bulldogs are 1-7 in road matches this year and 1-1 in neutral contests.

With Sunday's 1-0 loss, Georgia Southern suffered its first shutout defeat since a similar loss to Georgia State on Sept. 19. In the Eagles' last four matches, Georgia Southern was averaging three goals per contest.

Samford jumped out early Sunday and scored the game-winning goal of the match during the eighth minute of play.

At exactly 7:22 into the contest, the Bulldogs' Bryant connected on her second goal of the 2008 season to give Samford its decisive 1-0 lead. Junior Caroline Baxter was credited with an assist on the play, her second of the year.

The Bulldogs' Cayley Winters and Alyssa Whitehead both played in goal Sunday and shared the shutout victory. Winters started in goal and played the opening 12:12 of the match, while Whitehead came in during the 13th minute and closed out the game for Samford.

The Bulldogs outshot Georgia Southern 15-10 and earned five corner kicks compared to four for the Eagles.

Baxter led Samford with four shots attempts. Georgia Southern was paced by Ashley Toussaint, who also finished with four. Toussaint entered the match as the SoCon's leading goal-scorer with eight this season.

The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Friday at 7 p.m., as the Bulldogs return home to Birmingham, Ala., for a critical SoCon battle with the Furman Paladins to be held at Bulldog Field.