BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Belmont women’s soccer team (12-6-2) was unable to come away with a win in its regular season finale on Saturday night. The Bruins fell on the road at Samford (14-4), who was ranked 14th in the Southeast Region by Soccerbuzz.com earlier this week, 4-0. The loss snaps a two-match win streak for BU that concluded Atlantic Sun play.

The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the 17th minute. Samford nearly took a two goal advantage had it not been for the fast hands of senior Micaela Crowley (Hoover, Ala.). She notched three saves in a row in the 31st minute of the first half, keeping the Bruins in the game. With less than four minutes remaining before the break, Amber Cress outmaneuvered Crowley and slipped the ball into the lower right corner to put the Bulldogs up, 2-0.

After the break, sophomore Zirka Thompson (Alpharetta, Ga.) stepped into the net for the Bruins and the team attempted to get on the board with a stronger offensive effort. However, in the 48th minute, a deflected cross snuck past Thompson to put Samford up, 3-0. The Bulldogs’ fourth goal came in the 61st minute and put the match out of Belmont’s reach for good.

Crowley and Thompson combined for nine saves on the night. Freshmen Erica Carter (Spring, Texas), Patience Whitten (Germantown, Tenn.) and Jessica Rix (Carmel, Ind.) and sophomore Elizabeth Bublis (Norman, Okla.) each notched one shot for the Bruins.

Samford held the advantage in corner kicks, 5-3, and shots 18-4.

Belmont will play in the first round of the Atlantic Sun Tournament on November 7th in Kennesaw, Ga. The third-seeded Bruins will take on #6 Jacksonville. Match time is set for 7:30 p.m.