Nov. 6, 2009

Box Score

GREENSBORO, N.C. - In Friday's semifinal round of the 2009 Southern Conference Tournament, the Samford University soccer team suffered a heartbreaking 6-5 defeat in a penalty-kick shootout against the College of Charleston Cougars. Throughout regulation and both overtime periods, the teams played to a 0-0 draw at the UNCG Soccer Stadium.

With the draw, Samford's record-breaking season will most likely come to an end with a 12-1-5 overall record. The Bulldogs' winning percentage of .806 this year was the best in school history. There is an outside chance that Samford could earn its second at-large bid in three seasons to the NCAA Tournament, but the selection committee would have to make history by choosing three SoCon teams.

By squeezing past Samford in the semifinal round of the SoCon Tournament, the College of Charleston (12-6-2) advanced to Sunday's championship match where the Cougars will play either top-seeded UNC Greensboro or fourth-seeded Davidson.

Samford and College of Charleston have developed a hotly-contested rivalry in only two short seasons as members of the SoCon. The teams have played to a 1-1-2 record in the series and have each knocked the other out of a conference tournament. Last season, the Bulldogs advanced past the Cougars in a penalty-kick shootout to reach the semifinal round of the SoCon championship.

In two seasons as a member of the SoCon, Samford has compiled a 15-3-7 overall record and has advanced to a pair of conference semifinals.

On Friday, the Bulldogs and Cougars competed in a physical defensive struggle. College of Charleston outshot Samford 13-8, but the Bulldogs won the corner-kick battle, 6-0.

The Cougars finished the match with 13 shot attempts, only two of which were on goal. Samford tallied eight shots, four of which were on goal. Juniors Paige Lanter and Hilary Samuels each paced the Bulldogs with two shots on goal apiece. Senior Natalie Fleming also rattled off a pair of shot attempts, but neither was on goal.

Samford's Alyssa Whitehead recorded her 12th shutout of the 2009 season as the Bulldogs set a school record by only allowing six goals all year.

After playing 110 minutes of scoreless soccer, the teams moved on to the penalty-kick shootout period. Samford lost the coin toss and was forced to kick first. The following five Bulldogs all made their penalty-kick attempts under high pressure: Lanter, Cindy Spiker, Amber Cress, Shannon Healy and Leah Leppert.

Following each of Samford's made penalty kicks, the College of Charleston's players would answer with goals of their own. The following Cougars made their shot attempts in the penalty-kick shootout: Hannah Gmerek, Annie Pease, Katie Kerr, Emily Morgan and Julie Romanik.

On Samford's fifth attempt, sophomore Brittany Gordon's shot was stopped by Katie Tate and all of the pressure shifted to College of Charleston's Morgan Benz. Benz, the Cougars' junior midfielder from Clifton, Va., then successfully made her attempt to give College of Charleston a 6-5 win.

Samford concluded its 2009 season with a school-record 12-1-5 overall mark. The Bulldogs' lone loss of the year was a hard-fought 1-0 defeat at College of Charleston on Sept. 27.