Reeling from two straight losses to Alabama and Georgia, Vanderbilt (7-4-2, 2-3-0 SEC) regained their footing in the standings with a dominant performance over Texas A&M (6-5-2, 2-2-1 SEC). Going against an Aggies team that has only allowed four goals in their past 10 contests, the Commodores posted their highest SEC goal count since 2000, with five different players getting in on the action.
The early stages of the match were as gritty as could be expected in a contest between formidable SEC squads, the teams exchanging possession and aggressive fouls as they sought a feel for each other’s style of play. However, in timely fashion, first-year Ella Eggleston, only being subbed in a few minutes prior, swung the momentum in the home team’s favor with a swift goal in the 26th minute. From there on, the Commodores kept their foot on the gas.
Just three minutes later, Courtney Jones delivered a beautiful through ball from the midfield to Addie Porter, who found her way behind the Texas A&M back four before dishing it across the box to give the ever-so-dominant Rachel Deresky an effortless tap-in, ballooning the lead to 2-0 in the blink of an eye. The increasingly confident Vanderbilt side continued to repel the long ball tactics utilized by Texas A&M, spearheaded by a stout showing from the defense, quickly turning their stops into rapid offense.
These intense counterattacks proved successful once more in the 39th minute mark, when Alex Wagner’s cross bounced off the head of an A&M defender, landing perfectly at the foot of senior captain Abi Brigton. Brighton, with one light touch, meticulously slipped it by the keeper’s outstretched arms into the net. By halftime, the ‘Dores had a well-earned three-goal lead.
After the break, the daunting pressure of Vanderbilt continued, the Commodores appearing to be the faster team on every ball that would come near, finding their way to keep possession as Texas A&M scrambled to defend. Once again, Vanderbilt would strike with another through ball, allowing for Porter to fight off an A&M defender while simultaneously sidestepping the charging goalkeeper en route to a dazzling finish in the 49th minute. By then, the women in Black and Gold kept piling it on with relative ease, evident in the 57th minute when Deresky bagged her second goal of the day after slamming a shot from outside the box, tucking it directly into the bottom left corner.
To put on a bow on a brilliant outing, Vanderbilt’s sixth goal of the day came off a corner kick in the 81st minute, Caroline Betts rising up amongst a sea of maroon to head it forward, slipping it by the keeper to finish off the day with a dagger.
In a clinical masterclass, the Commodores outshot their opponents 16-9 while pitching their fifth shutout victory of the season. The team remains undefeated at home this year.
With their second conference win, Vanderbilt will move on to face Kentucky in Lexington on Sunday, Oct. 8 with a chance to move above .500 in SEC play.
