SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford’s women’s soccer team has claimed the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Southern Conference Women’s Soccer Championship after posting an 7-1-1 league mark this season. The Bulldogs have claimed at least a share of the regular-season championship for the sixth straight year.
The tournament begins Wednesday with a pair of first-round matches on campus sites. The quarterfinal round follows on Nov. 2 and 3 at campus sites, while the semifinals and championship will be played at UNCG Soccer Stadium on the campus of UNC Greensboro on Nov. 8 and 10, respectively.
Samford downed Chattanooga, 1-0, on Sunday to conclude the regular season, while Furman, who entered the day in first place in the standings, lost 2-0 at Mercer, allowing Samford to tie the Paladins atop the standings with 22 points. The tiebreaker came down to goal differential in league games, where Samford had the edge to claim the top seed.
UNCG and Mercer, the lone team to defeat Furman and Samford, both finished 7-2 in conference play. UNCG earns the No. 3 seed having beaten Mercer 2-0 in the regular season on Sept. 29.
Western Carolina is the No. 5 seed, finishing 5-4 in SoCon action after defeating VMI 1-0 on Sunday, and will travel to Macon to take on No. 4 Mercer on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 4 p.m. Chattanooga (4-4-1), which fell to Samford in a tightly contested game on Sunday, earns the No. 6 seed and will travel to Greensboro to take on No. 3 UNCG on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 4 p.m.
Wofford, which won 1-0 at The Citadel on Sunday afternoon to finish 3-6 in conference play, claimed the No. 7 seed, while ETSU is No. 8. The Terriers will welcome No. 10 VMI to campus on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m., while the Bucs will host No. 9 The Citadel at 7 p.m.
No. 1 Samford will host either ETSU or The Citadel on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. CT, while No. 2 Furman will take on the winner of the Wofford and VMI contest on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 2 p.m.
The tournament winner earns the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship.
2019 Women's Soccer Championship
Wednesday, Oct. 30
First Round (at higher seeds)
Match 1: No. 9 The Citadel at No. 8 ETSU, 7 p.m.
Match 2: No 10 VMI at No. 7 Wofford, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 2
Quarterfinals (at higher seeds)
Match 3: Winner Match 1 at No. 1 Samford, 2 p.m. CT
Sunday, Nov. 3
Quarterfinals (at higher seeds)
Match 4: No. 5 Western Carolina at No. 4 Mercer, 4 p.m.
Match 5: Winner Match 2 at No. 2 Furman, 2 p.m.
Match 6: No. 6 Chattanooga at No. 3 UNCG, 4 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 8
Semifinals (UNCG Soccer Stadium; Greensboro, N.C.)
Match 7: Winner Match 3 vs. Winner Match 4, 4 p.m.
Match 8: Winner Match 5 vs. Winner Match 6, 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 10
Final (UNCG Soccer Stadium; Greensboro, N.C.)
Match 9: Winner Match 7 vs. Winner Match 8, 2 p.m.
*all times eastern unless otherwise noted
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