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Samford wins 2019 Women's Soccer Championship
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The top-seeded Samford Bulldogs won their third Southern Conference Championship and first since 2016 with a 1-0 win over No. 2 seed Furman on Sunday afternoon at UNCG Stadium on the campus of UNC Greensboro.
The first half was back-and-forth to start as each team had just one shot in the first 10 minutes of play. In the 14th minute, Jasmine Greene, the SoCon Freshman of the Year and a first-team all-conference forward, got a great look and fired off a shot that was saved by Samford’s first-team all-conference goalkeeper, Morgan McAslan. Just over three minutes later, Samford drew a foul and sophomore midfielder Alyssa Frazier, a first-team all-conference performer, netted her fifth goal of the year on a direct free kick to put the Bulldogs out front 1-0.
Furman had shots in both the 21st and 22nd minutes as all-conference first-teamer Isabella Gutierrez fired both, one into the arms of a diving McAslan and the other wide right. The Paladins kept the pressure on as Greene took a shot that was blocked in the 26th minute, and seconds later, Caitlyn Reilly fired off a header that sailed wide. Gutierrez took another shot in the 29th minute, but McAslan recorded her third save to keep the Paladins, who were outshooting Samford 8-3, off the scoreboard. Samford answered with two shots in the 32nd minute as Mary Raymond took both, one of which was blocked and the other high. Furman defender Erin O’Hearn, a second-team all-conference defender, took a free kick from deep in the 39th minute and forced McAslan to make her fourth save of the half. The 1-0 score held at the break with Furman outshooting Samford 11-5 and taking five corner kicks to just one for the Bulldogs.
Less than five minutes into the second half, Reily took a shot for Furman that was blocked. Erin Houlihan added another in the 57th minute but it went wide. The teams continued to press in the physical contest with the early first-half goal the difference. Gutierrez got Furman’s best look of the second half in the 77th minute, firing a shot right at McAslan who recorded the save.
McAslan totaled eight saves, the most against a conference foe this season, and moves to 13-2-5 on the season after collecting her conference-leading eighth solo shutout. Furman goalkeeper Kellsey Weaver, a second-team all-conference pick, had one save on the afternoon and finishes with a 13-6-1 record on the season.
Remarkably, Furman outshot Samford 21-9 and had an 8-2 advantage in corner kicks.
The Bulldogs (13-3-5), who earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, will find out where they play next during the NCAA Selection show, which airs on NCAA.com on Monday, Nov. 11, at 4:30 p.m. ET.
SoCon Women’s Soccer Championship All-Tournament Team
Suzuka Yosue, The Citadel
Elena Pisani, ETSU
Jordan Evens, Furman
Arianna Milicia, Furman
Caitlyn Reilly, Furman
Elizabeth Hargis, Mercer
Payton Schurr, Mercer
Marissa Ferrantino, UNCG
Kaley Tucker, UNCG
Kylie Gazza, Samford
Allie Lourie, Samford
Morgan McAslan, Samford
Taylore Miller, Samford
Maggie Shaw, Chattanooga
Sam Franklin, VMI
Reily Nelson, Western Carolina
Erin Roche, Wofford
Most Outstanding Player
Morgan McAslan, Samford
Pinnacle Award (highest cumulative GPA among championship-eligible student-athletes on winning team)
Taylore Miller, Samford
2019 Women's Soccer Championship
Wednesday, Oct. 30
First Round (at higher seeds)
Match 1: No. 9 The Citadel 1, No. 8 ETSU 0
Match 2: No. 7 Wofford 2, No. 10 VMI 1
Saturday, Nov. 2
Quarterfinals (at higher seeds)
Match 3: No. 1 Samford 5, No. 9 The Citadel 1
Sunday, Nov. 3
Quarterfinals (at higher seeds)
Match 4: No. 4 Mercer 1, No. 5 Western Carolina 0 (2OT)
Match 5: No. 2 Furman 3, No. 7 Wofford 0
Match 6: No. 3 UNCG 1, No. 6 Chattanooga 1 (2OT, UNCG 4-2 PKs)
Friday, Nov. 8
Semifinals (UNCG Soccer Stadium; Greensboro, N.C.)
Match 7: No. 1 Samford 3, No. 4 Mercer 0
Match 8: No. 2 Furman 1, No. 3 UNCG 0
Sunday, Nov. 10
Final (UNCG Soccer Stadium; Greensboro, N.C.)
Match 9: No.1 Samford 1, No. 2 Furman 0
-www.SoConSports.c