Davidson Keeps Unbeaten Streak Rolling, Plays to 1-1 Tie at Samford

Sunday, October 25

Birmingham, Ala.

2:00 p.m.

Davidson College

1 2OT

Samford

Callan Elswick netted her second goal of the season in the 1-1 tie.

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Davidson Keeps Unbeaten Streak Rolling, Plays to 1-1 Tie at Samford

10/25/2009 7:28:38 PM | Women's Soccer

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Junior forward Callan Elswick (Locust Grove, Va.) kept the Davidson women's soccer team's unbeaten streak intact and their league tournament chances alive as well with a score in 25th minute, and the Wildcats went on to finish in a 1-1 draw with host Samford in a key Southern Conference matchup on Sunday afternoon at Bulldog Field.

It was a battle of two teams who were riding four and seven-game unbeaten streaks, respectively, and ended in a draw.

Davidson, winners of four straight and six of their last seven games, pushed their unbeaten streak to five as its overall record went 9-9-1 and its league mark to 6-3-1. The 'Cats, sitting in fifth place, are battling for one of the four-top spots in the league standings to advance to the SoCon Tournament in two weeks. They are just one game out with one to play next weekend.

Samford, which came in holding one of the top-four spots and riding a seven-match unbeaten streak, saw its record go 11-1-4 overall and its SoCon mark 6-1-3.

The Wildcats, who shutout the Bulldogs 3-0 last year in their first meeting against them, came out aggressive and full of confidence. They nearly snapped Samford's 23-unbeaten home streak thanks to the foot of Elswick.

The junior striker gathered in a loose ball in the six-yard box after Blakely Low (San Antonio, Texas) got off a shot that was saved by a Bulldog defender, and fired off a shot to the right of the goalkeeper for the first score of the game with 25:58 on the clock in the first half.

Davidson's defense took care of the rest in the first period, not allowing a single shot in the half as it went into halftime up 1-0.

The defense continued to play well, before Samford was able to hit the equalizer in the 74th minute. Natalie Fleming netted the tying goal from 10 yards out off a shot that was a high bouncer over Jessie Baxa's (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) head after passes from Hilary Samuels and Amber Cress helped set up the goal.

Davidson created a few good chances in overtime to net the game-winner, but the Wildcats were never able to capitalize. They had back-to-back shots from Amanda Flink (Richardson, Texas) and Kyri Bye-Nagel (Hanau, Germany) in the 91st and 92nd minutes of the first overtime to only have one of them saved by the Bulldogs' Alyssa Whitehead and then Bye-Nagel had her shot blocked. They got off one more shot in the second overtime by Allison Drutchas (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.).

Samford had one corner kick attempt in each overtime, but the Wildcat defense halted any scoring ideas with great clear attempts.

Led by Drutchas' four shots, the 'Cats held a 14-12 advantage in shots, while they put six of those on goal.

Between the pipes, Baxa closed with four saves in playing all 110 minutes, while Samford's Whitehead also finished with four saves.

Davidson wraps up its 2009 regular season with a home contest vs. Georgia Southern on Saturday, Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. as it will be Senior Day.

Scoring Summary
25:58 DAV Callan Elswick (2) (Blakely Low)
74:36 SAM Natalie Fleming (Hilary Samuels, Amber Cress)