Pictured: Mississippi State's Taryn Holland (MSU Photo)

BULLDOG SOCCER OPENS SEASON WITH 2-1 WIN OVER JACKSON STATE

OXFORD, Miss. -- Freshmen Rachel Wannek and Monica Alavarado each scored goals as the Mississippi State soccer team opened the 2009 season with a 2-1 win over Jackson State in the opening game of the Ole Miss Nike Invitational in Oxford, Miss.

State (1-0) wasted no time in finding the back of the net for the first time on the year, scoring on a penalty kick just 1:25 into the match. Junior Kat Walsh, making her MSU debut, dribbled into the box and was fouled from behind to earn the penalty kick. Wannek, the Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, native, lined the kick into the right side of the net to give State a 1-0 lead.

The Bulldogs, who took a school fourth-most 34 shots, took the 1-0 advantage to halftime after missing out on several scoring opportunities.

After missing on a number of chances in the second half, MSU converted the deciding goal in the 59th minute. Wannek hit a header that deflected off the right post, but the ball went straight to fellow rookie Monica Alvarado who lined the shot into the net for a 2-0 Bulldog lead.

“I thought we played well for our first game of the season,” Bulldog head coach Neil Macdonald said. “Our effort was outstanding today, and I was pleased with the way we kept attacking the goal. We have to do a better job converting on opportunities, but overall it was a great win to open the year.”

The Bulldogs kept the shutout intact until the 3:05 mark when Lady Tiger forward Shadein Mars slipped behind the MSU defense and cut the lead to 2-1. It was just the third shot on-goal MSU senior goalie Taryn Holland faced on the day. Holland turned back two of those shots, moving her 15 behind the school's career record set by Kirstin Olson from 1998-2000.

Jackson State fell to 0-2 on the year with the loss.

The Bulldogs close out opening weekend on Sunday, challenging Morehead State at 10 a.m.

TIGERS DOMINATE SOUTHERN MISS FOR FIRST WIN OF SEASON, 3-0

BATON ROUGE -- The LSU soccer team returned to form with a dominating 3-0 victory over Southern Miss on Friday night at the LSU Soccer Complex while scoring a late first-half goal and adding two more goals in the waning minutes of the match.

The Tigers (1-1) picked up their first win of the 2009 season in front of the sixth-largest crowd in school history as 1,628 fans packed the LSU Soccer Complex on Friday night.

LSU controlled the match throughout the first half of play while applying constant pressure to the Golden Eagles’ back line. Southern Miss (1-2) repeatedly worked its way out of trouble in the early minutes, most notably when a sprawling save by the goalkeeper narrowly prevented a shot by senior Rachel Yepez from crossing the goal line in the sixth minute.

Six more shots by the Tigers went unrewarded until a cross from Yepez found the foot of Melissa Clarke, who rifled a volley inside the far post from just outside the six-yard box with 5:53 to play in the first half. LSU would take its 1-0 advantage into the break.

“For a while, we were just passing and trying to get something going,” Clarke said. “We finally got it and it really helped us going forward. I think our hard work and determination was certainly more present in this game than it was last week.”

The second half was much more of the same for the Tigers, who appeared to wear down a rugged Southern Mississippi squad as the match progressed.

Senior All-American and Hermann Trophy candidate Malorie Rutledge gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead as she took a pass from Clarke inside the penalty area and rifled a shot inside the far post from 12 yards out in the left side in the 82nd minute. Senior Nikki Bush was also credited with an assist on the goal as she set a new career high for a single game with two assists in the match.

The Tigers put the match out of reach in the 85th minute when senior Amanda Carreno set up for a corner kick at the right flag and sent a perfect left-footed cross to Yepez patrolling the near post. Yepez flicked a header past the keeper to provide the final 3-0 margin.

“Ninety minutes is a long time to soak up pressure,” said LSU head coach Brian lee. “Once you get that second goal, you can really push for that third goal. A lot of times, goals come in bunches so that wasn’t a surprise.”

The Tigers received an outstanding effort from their back line that held strong the entire match. Sophomore goalkeeper Mo Isom recorded her first shutout of the year and the marking backs kept the Golden Eagle forwards from getting even a single shot on goal.

The Tigers controlled play from the opening whistle as they outshot Southern Miss by a count of 17-1, including a 6-0 advantage in shots on goal. They also attempted seven corner kicks to just a total of two corner kicks by the Golden Eagles.

LSU dedicated its win Friday night to former Tiger star Robyn DesOrmeaux, who passed away Thursday morning at the age of 27 after a courageous five-year battle with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone cancer.

When DesOrmeaux was diagnosed with the disease on Nov. 11, 2004, she was given a 10 percent chance to live five years. Determined to remain optimistic, she added her jersey No. 99 to her prognosis and gave herself a 109 percent chance to live and vowed to give 109 percent effort in everything she did.

That is why the Tigers will have special black “109” patches embroidered on the right sleeve of their team jerseys for the rest of the 2009 season in honor of DesOrmeaux and her fight against Ewing’s sarcoma.

“We certainly want to dedicate tonight’s victory to Robyn DesOrmeaux and the inspiration she gives each one of us,” Lee said. “The ‘109’ patches we will wear for the rest of the season are a reminder to all of us of what it means to continue to fight for everything that we have in life. Her spirit will live on in this team and the example she set during her life is something that we can all look up to.”

The Tigers will travel to Tampa, Fla., next weekend to take part in the South Florida Invitational as they take on Central Florida on Sept. 4 at 4 p.m. CT before battling host South Florida on Sept. 6 at 11 a.m. LSU will then return home to face Big 12 foe Oklahoma on Friday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m in this season’s Cram the Complex game.

VANDERBILT SHUTS OUT MERCER 2-0

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Junior Molly Kinsella and senior Megan Forester each scored goals in Vanderbilt’s 2-0 win over Mercer Friday night at the VU Soccer Complex.

The Commodores improved to 2-0 on the year while the Bears fell to 1-1.

“That was a very hard fought match,” said Vanderbilt head coach Ronnie Woodard who was able to coach on the day her first child was due. “I thought that Mercer did a great job of coming out and putting a tremendous amount of pressure on us early and they maintained that for the entire game. They are a very spirited and hardworking team and they gave us all that we can handle tonight.”

For the second straight game neither Vanderbilt or its opponent scored in the first half.

“At halftime we told our team they needed to come out as an entirely different team,” said Woodard. “We needed to improve our speed of play and play with more athleticism and more confidence on the ball. I thought the girls did a much better job of taking control of the match.”

The Commodores got on the board at the 47:13 minute when Molly Kinsella scored from right inside the 18-yard box off a deflected ball from a Mercer player.

VU held the lead and added to it with just over four minutes left when Megan Forester scored from inside five yards in front of the goal off a perfectly timed pass from Hannah Gonzales.

“It was a great ball by Hannah flicking the ball and giving me the chance to score,” said Forester.

Junior goalkeeper Rachel Bachtel recorded her first shutout of the year with six saves on the night.

Vanderbilt outshot Mercer 21-11 and controlled possession for most of the contest. Molly Kinsella led VU with four shots on goal while Forester and Megan Kinsella added two shots each.

Every available Commodore got playing time off the bench tonight including freshmen Kate Goldin, Dana Schwartz and Madeline Danna. Veterans Gonzales, Kristine Chaklos, Bridget Lohmuller and Catherine Wearn also saw their first action of the year in the win.

The Commodores will continue its five-game home stand on Sunday with a contest against Murray State at 2 p.m.

Woodard who is expecting her first child with husband Tom will continue to coach with the goal of not missing a game unless the child is born tomorrow or Sunday. If he does not arrive this weekend, he will be delivered on Tuesday.

“I am a little anxious to become a mother,” added Woodard. “I don’t know when he will arrive and every time I jumped up on the bench or yelled I wondered about when he is going to come. For the first time I am not in control of this part of my life so I just have to sit back and enjoy the ride.”

Two Second Half Goals Lead Georgia, 2-0, Over Minnesota

ATHENS -- After playing a scoreless first half, the No. 16 Georgia soccer team used two second half scores to prevail, 2-0, over 17th-ranked Minnesota Friday night at the UGA Soccer Stadium. The win improved the Bulldogs to 2-0 on the early season, while the team will take to it again this Sunday for a 1 p.m. showdown with in-state rival Mercer at home.

The win over a ranked opponent is Georgia's first since knocking off then-No. 7 Florida Nov. 7, 2008 in the SEC Tournament. It was also the Bulldogs first ever win over Minnesota, as tonight marked the inaugural meeting between the programs. UGA is now 3-1 all-time against Big Ten opposition.

Tonight's win was also the 100th in the history of the UGA Soccer Stadium.

“We talked about scoring first [coming out after halftime], and I didn't think we were going to score that quickly so that helped,” said head coach Patrick Baker. “We wavered at times but that is to be expected. As opportunistic as that first goal was, for Marah [Falle] to hit an unbelievable one off a back pass from Carrie [Patterson] was a great insurance goal.”

“Minnesota is a very good team and they are going to win a lot of games.”

Georgia's first goal of the game came from rookie Rebekah Perry, who popped the ball over the Minnesota keeper to get Georgia on the board just 38 seconds into the second frame. Perry took the pass from teammate Ashley Miller and converted for her first score of her collegiate career.

With the Bulldog defense keeping up the intensity and holding the Golden Gophers off the board, Perry's goal was followed in the 72nd minute of play by a goal from Falle for the 2-0 lead. Falle fired the shot from the right side after Traci Dreesen and Patterson worked the ball into the box. It marked the first goal of the season for Falle.

“We knew they were a good team and we had to step it up,” said Falle. “We worked hard this week in practice. [On my goal], Traci sent a great ball to Carrie and I thought she was going to hit it. I was just in the right spot.”

With that assist, Patterson now owns 20 for her career, just three off the school record, and moves into a tie for second place in the category.

Michelle Betos came up with two more saves in the net for the Bulldogs, one each half, as she notched the shutout. The Bulldogs held the advantage in the shot column this evening by a tally of 8-5.

The Bulldogs now turn their attention to Sunday's match-up with Mercer.

“That coaching staff has done a remarkable job putting a collection of players together that can compete at a very high level and they are a difficult opponent,” Baker said of the Bears. “They've had young players in recent years but that's not the case this year. They are more veteran and experienced, have played a lot of good teams in the preseason and spring.”

“We wanted our focus this weekend to be about us and we feel like if we do things that we do within our system to be successful, then a lot of great things can happen.”

No. 7 Florida Soccer Opens Home Season with 3-0 Win Over FIU

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Three second half goals by three different players gave the No. 7 University of Florida soccer team (2-0, 0-0 SEC) a 3-0 win over Florida International (1-1, 0-0 Sun Belt) Friday evening in front of a James G. Pressly Stadium crowd of 1,927.

A FIU foul just at the top of the 18-yard box led to the Gators’ first goal. Senior Angela Napolitano took the free kick. FIU goalkeeper Melanie Raimo got a hand on the ball but it continued to travel across the face of the goal where sophomore Lindsay Thompson headed it in at the far post corner for her first score of 2009.

“I was really excited about it. It all started with Angela’s free kick. It was a perfect shot and the goalie was lucky to get on to it and I was just there for the rebound,” Thompson said. “It was good to get started with a header.”

The final 11 minutes of the match saw the first collegiate goals scored by freshmen roommates Erika Tymrak and Brooke Thigpen.

Tymrak’s 20-yard goal started with another Gator free kick opportunity.

“Ashlee Elliott had her back to goal and she laid the ball off to Angela. She just flicked it to me so I just ripped it lower corner and it went in,” Tymrak said.

Her score came just over a minute and a half after re-entering the match. Tymrak wanted to finish the match with a strong effort.

“I wasn’t having the best game so I was trying to refocus myself when I got back in there,” Tymrak said. “I got a goal. It was fun and everyone was so excited.”

Not quite 10 minutes later, Thigpen received a well-timed pass from sophomore Sarah Chapman, which led to her 18-yard goal.

“It started on a transition play. McKenzie Barney had the ball first and she switched the ball to Sarah who was running the middle and I was running the left outside. I was screaming for it and Sarah played just a perfect ball - right in the middle of my stride,” Thigpen said. “I had one defender and did a little hip and run. I shot with my left foot and it went in.”

Although the match ended with a win, UF Head Coach Becky Burleigh was not pleased with the opening half play of the Gators.

“We allowed the pace to be too slow in the first half, which is just what FIU wanted,” Burleigh said. “Vic Campbell (UF Associate Coach) really challenged the team to step up and play with more intensity in the second half and they took that to heart.

“Bottom line, we just have to be sharper. We really weren’t at the top of our game tonight,” she continued. “When you get a win at home and a shutout and you weren’t at the top of your game, you really can’t complain too much as a coach, but that’s our job.”

For the match, UF goalkeeper Katie Fraine turned in three saves. Raimo and freshman Kaitlyn Savage each played in goal for the Golden Panthers, with Raimo posting five saves and Savage two.

The Gators are in action again Sunday, Aug. 30 when USF (2-0, 0-0 Big East) comes to town. The Bulls were 1-0 winners over Florida Atlantic Friday evening. Match time is set for 1 p.m. at Pressly Stadium. Live, streaming video can be seen at www.GatorZone.com - just click on the GatorVision icon for more information. Sunday’s match can also be heard live on AM 850 WRUF and www.GatorZone.com. Adam Schick and Matthew Stubbington will cover the action Sunday.

Ole Miss Earns 3-0 Home-Opening Victory Over Morehead State

OXFORD, Miss. -- Ole Miss turned in a dominating soccer performance in its 2009 home opener as the Rebels (1-1) defeated the Morehead State Eagles (1-2) by a 3-0 count on Friday night at the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium.

Taylor Cunningham scored two goals, one in each half, to lead the way for Ole Miss, which out-shot Morehead State by a 13-3 margin.

“We played really hard tonight and played a full game,” said Cunningham, a junior who matched her career best with the two-goal performance. “I feel ecstatic to score two goals and get the win, but Sunday is a new game. Hopefully we can do more of the same and have another great one.”

The Rebels dominated in every way while playing in front of a loud, enthusiastic Friday night crowd of 826. They held an 8-0 advantage in corner kicks, and the defense allowed just three shots on the evening. Sophomore goalkeeper Alley Ronaldi picked up the shutout, going the full 90 minutes and making one save.

“This was a great game for us, a complete game,” head coach Steve Holeman said. “We played great soccer. Our defense was phenomenal. The girls worked really hard and limited the opponent, and we looked good on the attack and finished our chances. Morehead State is a quality opponent and will have a great season. For us to walk out with three goals is a big night for us. However, the weekend is not complete if we don’t sweep. We’ll get back to work tomorrow and prepare for Jackson State.”

Cunningham put the Rebels up 1-0 just six minutes into the match when she took a rebound off a defender and struck the ball from 15 yards out to the far post.

At the 11:52 mark, freshman Arielle Cohen tallied the first goal of her Rebel career when she beat a pair of Eagle defenders off the dribble and shot over the keeper from about 10 yards.

The Rebels did not allow a Morehead State shot until the second half, but continued a steady offensive attack in the period that eventually led to Cunningham’s second goal, a seven-yard shot that hit a defender and went straight in. Sophomore Jenna Strother picked up the assist after a nice pass from the left flank.

Ole Miss is now 1-0 all-time against Morehead State and 12-2-1 in home openers all-time.

The Ole Miss Nike Invitational continues on Sunday as the Rebels take on the Jackson State Lady Tigers at 1:30 p.m. following a 10:30 a.m. match between Mississippi State and Morehead State. All fans to the Rebels’ contest will receive free pizza courtesy of Papa John’s.

Second-half rally lifts Razorbacks over Air Force

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- After trailing at the half, the University of Arkansas soccer team netted four goals in the second half Friday to secure a 4-2 victory over Air Force in its 2009 home opener. Sophie Wentz posted the first two-goal effort of her Razorback career and Lauren Hallauer and Kim Schleif tacked on a goal each in the win. Arkansas is 2-0 for the first time since the 1992 season. The match was the finale on day one of the Razorback Adidas Classic.

“I’m really excited with how our team played,” head coach Erin Aubry said. “I was a little disappointed in our organization when (Air Force) scored its two goals. Our organization still needs work, but it says a lot about our team’s mentality. To be down a goal, then come right back and score two quick goals to take the lead was amazing.”

The Falcons (0-2-1) scored the game’s first goal when Kelsey Yip found the back of the net on an 18-yard free kick at the 18:58 mark. Set up out front and to the left of Arkansas goalkeeper Britni Williams, Yip lined a shot past a wall of Razorbacks for her first goal of the year.

Despite being behind on the scoreboard, the Razorbacks had plenty of chances to score in the opening half of play. Beth McVean had a shot ring off the crossbar at the 24:35 mark of the first half and Tara Zika had a point-blank shot knocked away by Air Force keeper Chartiy Blanton with 5:32 to play until halftime. Arkansas outshot its opponent, 15-3, and totaled six corner shots on the night.

Wentz evened the score at the 47:36 mark with her first goal of the season. On the receiving end of an Ally Atkins pass, Wentz knocked the ball from an angle to the far post past Blanton. The tie didn’t last long, however, as Kelly Bieber responded with a goal less than three minutes later to give Air Force the lead once again. The Falcons scored on their first two shots of the game.

The Razorbacks notched their second goal at the 56:06 mark when Hallauer launched a shot from the other side of midfield that Blanton came out to play but misjudged only to see it bounce over her head and into the back of the net. The goal made the score, 2-2. Hallauer’s only other goal during her Arkansas career came on a similar play last season against Kentucky.

The Atkins-Wentz combination teamed up again for the Razorback’s third goal. Atkins held off a Falcon defender along the end line and crossed a ball into the box to a streaking Wentz. The Fayetteville, Ark., native tapped the ball past the goalkeeper at the 57:37 mark for her second goal of the contest.

Schleif added an insurance goal with a liner from outside the 18-yard back that crossed in front of Blanton and into the far side of the net to give the match its final score. The four goals are the most by Arkansas in a home opener since the 2006 season when the team beat Northeastern State, 4-0.

In the first match of the Razorback Adidas Classic, Missouri State defeated Austin Peay, 2-0. The two-day event will conclude Sunday when the Razorbacks take the field against Missouri State. The matchup is scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. start at Razorback Field. Live stats will be available at ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

Auburn And Dayton Battle To 1-1 Draw

AUBURN, Ala. -- Amy Howard made 11 saves and Caitlin King scored her 11th career goal as Auburn played to a 1-1 draw with Dayton in Auburn's home-opener on Friday night.

After not finding many opportunities during the first 20 minutes, Auburn turned up the heat in the second part of the first half with King's first goal of the season being the end result. King, who played sparingly last season due to a leg injury, netted her first goal since the 2007 season in the 27th minute when she played a through ball from Katy Frierson to the left side of the net, beating Dayton goalkeeper Katherine Boone.

"With the three back that we were playing against, we were trying to make a lot of combinations with the midfield. Katy (Frierson) played a great ball to me and I saw the opening and tried to keep my composure and place it in the back of the net," King said.

The two teams traded missed opportunities for the rest of the first half as Auburn took the one-goal lead into the intermission.

"I am a little frustrated. We didn't play our best the whole game. Obviously Caitlin scored a great goal but we should have done more. We should have gotten some better chances and we should have scored," Auburn Head Coach Karen Hoppa said.

Jerica DeWolfe evened the score at 1-1 in the 58th minute when Mandi Back found the forward open on a breakaway for her first goal of the season.

DeWolfe's shot was the only one to get past Howard, the reigning SEC Freshman of the Week. After posting a shutout in the season-opener while facing just five shots, Howard saw much more action on Friday night as Dayton fired off 22 shots, forcing the Louisiana native into 11 saves.

Auburn, which is ranked No. 25 by Top Drawer Soccer, was just as aggressive in its' attacking third as the team ripped 19 shots on the night with Boone making five saves.

The tie was the second straight for Auburn, which is 0-0-2 on the season and played in a pair of overtimes game to start a season for the second time in the last three years, also doing it in 2007.

Dayton is now 1-0-1.

King's last goal came in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, a 3-1 loss to Central Florida.

Frierson's assist gives her 26 career points in just 23 games.

Auburn returns to the field on Sunday when it plays host to South Alabama at 2pm at the Auburn Soccer Complex. Admission is free.

ARIZONA STATE SCORES IN "SUDDEN VICTORY" OVERTIME TO DOWN NO. 23 UT, 3-2

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- With the ninth-largest crowd in Regal Soccer Stadium history in attendance (1,207) on a beautiful but humid Friday night in Knoxville, Tenn., No. 23 Tennessee (1-1-0) jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but couldn’t hold off a late Arizona State (2-0-0) rally in dropping a 3-2 decision. The Sun Devils scored with just 13 seconds left in regulation and then tallied at 106:49 in the second “sudden victory” overtime period to secure the triumph.

The Big Orange got the first goals of the season from sophomore forward Emily Dowd and freshman forward Jayden Barrett, while senior forward Mick Imgram delivered a pair of assists and freshman defender Ali Hall got credit for her initial career helper.

The Sun Devils out-shot the Lady Vols, 15-14, for the match with the difference coming on a 2-1 differential in the second overtime period. Both squads posted 13 shots during regulation action, five in the opening stanza and eight in the second period. ASU had six shots on frame, while the Lady Vols managed seven.

“Give a ton of credit to Arizona State,” Lady Vol head coach Angela Kelly said. “There were a lot of little things that hurt us tonight like not being able to clear the ball out of our end with 13 seconds left in the match. If we finish more of our chances tonight, maybe it’s a different result, but that’s the game of soccer. It was a pretty good performance, no excuses, but we are young and banged up a little. Of course I’m sure Arizona State’s dealing with the same situation. ASU deserves this victory, and I’m proud of the way our team battled. This experience will do us a lot of good come October, and for that, I am excited. We will learn from this, quickly put it behind us and come back Sunday with a renewed mindset.”

The early action centered in the midfield as neither offense managed a shot until UT forward Imgram unleashed a lazer that drifted high of the goal mouth at 7:24.

Arizona State midfielder Alexandra Elston responded in kind by ripping a shot just wide of diving Lady Vol junior goalkeeper Molly Baird in the ninth minute.

A good sign for the Big Orange camp came at the 11:08 mark as junior midfielder Julie Edwards, who’s been battling injury throughout fall camp, entered the contest to see her first action of the early 2009 season. The Glenmoore, Pa., native made her presence felt almost immediately by igniting a scoring opportunity in the 20th minute, as her cross was headed just over the goal by Dowd.

ASU forward Courtney Tinnin came close to breaking the scoreless deadlock at 24:29 as her right-footed blast from the right side of the pitch just missed the top left corner of the Lady Vol goal by a foot or two.

A foul in close proximity to the Sun Devil goal with about eight minutes remaining in the opening stanza finally set the stage for some UT offensive fireworks. Imgram blasted a free kick through the ASU wall that was saved by keeper Briana Silvestri. Just moments later Dowd pounced on a bad pass out in front of the net and bent a shot into the bottom left corner to grant the Big Orange a 1-0 lead.

Early in the second half it was Barrett who added to the UT advantage. On a corner kick by Imgram, Hall jumped and managed to get her head on the ball, directing it over to Barrett. The Corona, Calif., product finished from just in front of the net as her header found the roof of the twine for a two-goal lead.

That’s when the Arizona State offense found its rhythm forcing a stellar backline clear by the Big Orange on a run from forward Bianca Doller before finally finding paydirt on a shot from approximately 14 yards out by substitute Lindsey Johns.

Now trailing by just a single goal, ASU continued to press the attack despite a shot from UT sophomore Lara Langworthy that was saved by Silvestri and another blast high of the net off the foot of Imgram.

The Sun Devils had two great chances for the equalizer during the last 10 minutes. Tinnin broke free of the defense and tried a sliding shot that went just over the goal with 9:28 remaining. Baird made a miraculous diving stop to her right on another Tinnin opportunity with only 2:29 left on the clock.

With time ticking away and ASU keeping the ball deep in UT’s end, the Lady Vol backline couldn’t clear the zone and the Sun Devils pounced. Forward Karin Volpe managed to corral a poor clearance out in front and scored into the low left corner with just 13 seconds left to knot the count at 2-2 and force overtime.

Neither team was credited with a shot during the first OT period, although Lady Vol freshman forward Ashley Owens and Dowd almost made an attack work in the early going of the extra frame. Dowd battled a pair of Sun Devil defenders into the 18-yard box, eventually passing to Owens, but she was called just offside.

In the second extra stanza, ASU’s Volpe forced another save by Baird. Then the UT defense got into the action as junior defender Melissa Speros raced back to help her keeper by clearing a certain score from crossing the goalline by Doller. ASU wouldn’t be denied, however, as Volpe tallied her second of the match at 106:49 by moving around a defender into the left corner of the 18-yard box and beating Baird high right for the match-winner.

The Big Orange returns to action on Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Regal Soccer Stadium against Pepperdine. Kansas and Arizona State will open the final day of the First Tennessee Lady Vol Classic at 12:30 p.m. Live stats and video will be available for Tennessee’s match through utladyvols.com.

Alabama Drops Road Opener to Samford by the Score of 3-0

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- In a match where Alabama was able to out-shoot its opponent it was Samford who was efficient with theirs as the Crimson Tide opened its road portion of its schedule with a 3-0 loss Friday night at Bulldog Field. After the day Alabama moves to 0-2 on the season.

"Samford was able to create some chances and capitalize on them," Alabama head coach Todd Bramble said. "We had some opportunities but just squandered them. We get to turn around and play another opponent in Jacksonville State on Sunday and hopefully get headed into the right direction."

The Crimson Tide out-shot the Bulldogs 13-7 but Samford put five on goal while Alabama was only able to put two on frame.

Samford was able to net the first goal of the match in the 12th minute. Amber Cress broke away on the right side and found Hilary Samuels in the box who then drilled a shot that caromed off Alabama goalkeeper Justine Bernier and back into play. Sarah Wilkinson was there to clean up the ricochet and slip it into the back of the net.

The Bulldogs tacked on one more right before the intermission. With five minutes left in the first half Melissa Miller collected a loose ball and fired a one-touch blast from 25-yards out that found the left upper-v to expand the Samford lead to 2-0.

Samford added another out of the gates in the second half on a breakaway goal seven minutes in to increase their lead to 3-0. Cress was on the scoring end when she slipped a shot far post on a pass by Leah Leppert.

Leading Alabama offensively was junior midfielder Rosaly Petriello and her five shots. Three other members of the Crimson Tide fired off two shots apiece. Samford was led by Samuels and her two shots with both being put on frame.

In between the pipes Samford keeper Alyssa Whitehead earned her second clean sheet of the season. Whitehead made two saves to earn her first victory on the year. Bernier allowed three goals and made two saves.

Alabama will continue its first road trip of the season when it heads to Jacksonville, Ala. to face the Gamecocks on Sunday, Aug. 30. The two teams will meet at the JSU Soccer Field at 7 p.m. The Crimson Tide returns home for a single Friday contest next week against Memphis.