Samantha Bland Class: Junior Hometown: Hilliard, Ohio High School: Darby Height: 5-8 Position: Defender Birthdate: 12/21/1987 Experience: 2L

photo by Seth Iiames

2007
Earned a team defensive MVP award for the second consecutive season ... shared the honor with fellow sophomore Colleen Kordan ... played in all 22 games for the Falcons ... one of four players to start every match ... had four points on a pair of goals ... scored in the regular-season game against Ball State ... headed home the tying goal with less than five minutes left in regulation in an eventual overtime win over Eastern Michigan in the MAC Tournament ... part of a BG defense that posted seven shutouts.

photo by Doug Sampson

2006
Named the Falcons' MVP on defense in her first season in the Brown and Orange ... named to the national All-Rookie Third Team by TopDrawerSoccer.com ... the only Mid-American Conference player named to that squad ... saw action in 16 of BGSU's 20 games, making 13 starts, and helped the Falcons post a school-record 10 shutouts ... at the other end of the field, had three points on a goal and an assist ... the goal was a last-minute game winner, against Eastern Michigan (Oct. 22) ... her assist also came on a winning goal, in the second overtime of the Falcons' next game, a 1-0 victory over Toledo in the final regular-season match (Oct. 26) ... made her collegiate debut in the Falcons' season opener, coming off the bench to see action at #16 Marquette ... first collegiate start came two days later, at UW-Milwaukee ... in the EMU match, headed home Colleen Kordan's long free kick with just 47 seconds left in regulation ... the next time out, drew an assist on Brianne Eisenhard's OT winner against UT ... was in the starting lineup for each of the final 11 games of the season.

HIGH SCHOOL
A two-year letterwinner for Hilliard Darby (`06) under coach Chris King ... a first-team All-Ohio Capital Conference selection ... finished her career as the team's MVP, leading the Panthers in assists from her defender position ... Honor Roll all four years ... played for Darby as a freshman and a senior ... played with the Ohio Premier Fall Team in her sophomore and junior years.

PERSONAL
Samantha Jo Bland was born on Dec. 21, 1987, in Dallas, Texas ... a dietetics major at BGSU ... daughter of John and Becky Bland ... has an older brother and an older sister ... hails from the same high school as former Falcon Lindsay Carter, who was the lone senior on the 2006 BGSU squad ... has played club ball with Ohio Premier, captaining that team ... as mentioned, played two years with the Ohio Premier Fall Team.

SAMANTHA BLAND - BGSU CAREER STATISTICS

Year	GP/GS	Shots	G-A=Pts.
2006	16/13	3	1-1=3
2007	22/22	13	2-0=4
TOTALS	38/35	16	3-1=7