Vanderbilt Soccer got back on track last week by notching a 2-1 win over Yale at home in its only contest of the week. Now, the ‘Dores have two remaining games left in their nonconference slate: No. 16 Georgetown at home and Middle Tennessee State on the road.
Netting goals
Vanderbilt netted an astounding 15 goals while conceding none to opponents through its first three games. However, it failed to match that goal-scoring production in its last two outings, getting shut out against No. 24 Memphis and barely sneaking past Yale.
Despite the downward trend in scoring, Vanderbilt has still gotten plenty of opportunities in the past two matchups, taking an astounding 19 shots on target. Many of those shots seemed rushed, however. The Commodores did not prioritize quality shots, and consequently, their conversion rate suffered. Vanderbilt’s goal conversion rate was 55% through its first three matchups, including a stellar 100% conversion rate against Tennessee Tech. In the last two games, however, its conversion rate was just 15%. Prioritizing quality shots in its next two games will in turn increase Vanderbilt’s conversion rate.
Containing Lardner
Graduate student Maja Lardner is the biggest threat posed by the Georgetown Hoyas. Lardner has been on a tear to start the season, accounting for five goals – more than half her team’s total production. Her speed on the left side of the field, paired with a nose for the goal, makes her a nightmare for any defender. At the same time, she leads her team in both shot percentage (.500) and shot-on-goal percentage (.700), showcasing her ability to not just get the ball off but take quality shots. Certainly, a team ranked No. 16 in the nation is far more than a one-player show; however, if Vanderbilt can effectively contain Lardner, its chances of winning will become significantly higher.
Keeping the streak
Middle Tennessee State is a perennial opponent of Vanderbilt’s, with the two teams meeting for their 10th matchup in the series. Vanderbilt leads the series 8-1 overall, with its last and only loss to the Blue Raiders coming in 2021. The past two years, the ‘Dores have bested the Blue Raiders 6-0 and 3-0, respectively. However, Middle Tennessee State has the same number of wins (four) coming into its game against Vanderbilt as it did in that aforementioned 2021 matchup. It is also coming into the matchup on the back of a 3-0 win against West Georgia. There is nothing that the Blue Raiders would love more than to come into Nashville and leave with a win. This means Vanderbilt must start out in front of the Blue Raiders and control the pace of the game. The Commodores play their best soccer when they are relaxed and patient, which is exactly what they will need to be to best Middle Tennessee State.
Capitalizing on corners
Vanderbilt has been very good at drawing corners thus far, averaging 4.8 corners drawn per game while allowing opponents just 1.4 corners per game. But the Commodores have failed to really capitalize on these set pieces, scoring goals on just two of those corner kicks. Perhaps uncoincidentally, both of those corner kick goals came from the same sequence – Maci Teater taking the corner kick and Olivia Stafford firing into the back of the net.
The next two games may present fewer set-piece opportunities; Georgetown and Middle Tennessee State allow 3 and 2.6 corner kicks per game, respectively. This means Vanderbilt’s efficiency on such opportunities will be even more important. The Commodores will likely look to the same duo to reproduce that corner kick production but may want to try out some different looks if the opportunity presents itself. One thing is for certain, though: the ability to capitalize on set pieces often separates the good teams from the great teams. If Vanderbilt wants to find itself back among the top competitors in the SEC, it will have to find ways to take advantage of set pieces.
Vanderbilt will take on No. 16 Georgetown on Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. CDT at home before traveling to Middle Tennessee State on Sept. 7 for a 6 p.m. CDT start time. The games can be streamed on SEC Network+ and ESPN+, respectively.
