Duke and North Carolina men’s basketball. Ohio State and Michigan football. Eastern Illinois and Samford women’s soccer. These teams are consistently at the top of their conference. They’re athletic, talented and they win.

Samford has been dominating the Ohio Valley Conference ever since it joined in 2003. The Bulldogs (10-3-2, 5-0-2 OVC) have won thee consecutive conference regular season titles.

“You always want to measure yourself against the best,” said Eastern head coach Tim Nowak. “There’s no secret recipe. (We’re going to) go down there and play as hard as we can.”

The Panthers (5-5-5, 3-0-4) had won the previous two OVC Tournament Titles when Samford joined. Eastern also had won the OVC Tournament from 2001-2004.

“Ever since my freshman year, (this game) grows every year,” said senior midfielder Trisha Walter.

That’s where the difference starts changing between Eastern and Samford. Eastern lost 1-0 in the 2005 regular season against Samford. The Bulldogs defeated the Panthers 1-0 in the OVC Tournament Final at Lakeside Field in 2005.

“I hate thinking about it,” Walter said about last year’s loss against Samford. “It was miserable.”

The Bulldogs are 26-4-2 in the OVC in their four years in the conference. The Panthers are 42-5-10 in the OVC since joining in the 1998 season.

“It seems to be us two in the top every year,” Walter said. “It’s a huge game.”

This is the first year that the Bulldogs have been tied in the regular season by any OVC team. Samford tied Austin Peay 1-1 on Sept. 24 and Tennessee-Martin 0-0 last Friday. The Bulldogs first loss of the 2005 OVC regular season was to first year program Eastern Kentucky. Last year’s two losses was the most by Samford in its four seasons in the OVC.

Samford has never beaten the Panthers in Birmingham, Ala., and Eastern is 5-0-1 in Birmingham.

“It’s a tough environment to play in,” Nowak said. “It’s a proud program too. They have lights so it will be a game at night. I’m sure the stands will be packed. They’ll do their best to create an atmosphere that will give them an advantage.”

The Panthers and Samford meet at 7 p.m. on Friday at Bulldog Soccer Field.

Former Eastern head coach Steve Ballard, who never lost to Samford in four games he coached against the Bulldogs, said the game will be high intensity, with a large crowd and a fast field.

The Panthers practiced at night under the lights at O’Brien Stadium this week to prepare for their first night game of the season Friday.

In 2003, the Bulldog Soccer field averaged 544 people per game and it was 43rd in the nation for average attendance.

The Bulldogs have never won on their home field against Eastern but they are 4-0 at home this year.

“It’s rewarding,” said Samford head coach Todd Yelton for Samford to play at home. The Bulldogs play on the road for 16 regular season games and play only six home games.

“(Birmingham’s) always loud,” Walter said. “It’s always exciting. There’s a lot of people there.”

In 2003, the teams tied through the overtime periods, and the Panthers won on penalty kicks in the OVC Tournament Final. During the 2004 regular season, the Panthers won 1-0 on Walter’s penalty kick.

“To come way with a win is always a good thing, no matter how it’s done,” Walter said.

The 2004 OVC Tournament Final was a come from behind victory for Eastern.

The Panthers were losing with less than three minutes to go. Morgan Frericks and Sharyne Connell each scored in the final three minutes of regulation to give the Panthers a 3-2 come-from-behind win.

2005 was a different ending for the Panthers. For the previous fours years, Eastern had won the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. Last year, they lost.

“It was really sad,” Connell said. “We had made it and won that game for the past three years. It’s heartbreaking.”

The 2006 season is bringing similar success for the Panthers and the Bulldogs. Both teams are undefeated in conference, with Samford in first place and Eastern tied for second with Southeast Missouri.

“It’s exciting to play them because they are the reigning conference champions,” Nowak said.

Although the Bulldogs have had much success, Samford is without 2005 OVC All-Tournament sophomore goalkeeper Cayley Winters, who has missed the last three games because of an injury. In her place is red-shirt freshman goalkeeper Jenna Sturgill.

“Jenna’s done a good job of stepping up,” Yelton said.

With Sturgill in Samford’s goal and Eastern’s freshman goalkeeper Jenny Williams in the back of the net, the playing field becomes more equal.

“Whoever gets the more breaks will probably win,” Yelton said.