No. 1-seeded Vanderbilt Soccer (16-3-2, 7-2-1 SEC) hosted in-state program Tennessee Tech (7-7-8, 6-0-3, OVC) on an uncharacteristically warm November evening for the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Vanderbilt was a little under a week off from winning the SEC Championship trophy for the fifth time in program history, while Tennessee Tech was also coming off a championship win of their own, defeating Lindenwood 2-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference Championship match.
The Black and Gold dominated the first half of possession time 74% to the Golden Eagles’ 26%. They also outshot Tennessee Tech 6 shots to none. Despite this, the Commodores were unable to find the back of the net, and the buzzer signaling halftime went off with the score tied at 0-0. The Commodores broke through in the 55th minute on a corner kick from junior Courtney Jones just outside the box. Jones sent a low shot sailing past the Tennessee Tech goalie, Maggie Conrad to put her team up 1-0. The ‘Dores would not stop there, though, adding an insurance goal from defensive back Mary Beth McLaughlin, securing the ‘Dores 2-0 victory.
“Credit to Tennessee Tech for making this a very difficult game for us,” Vanderbilt head coach Darren Ambrose said. “I thought our response after half time was first class and we showed a little bit of acceleration and determination — that was the difference in the game. The harder you work the luckier you get. We got a fortunate bounce and it changed the game. We’re excited to be moving on.”
First half
Vanderbilt wasted no time getting upfield. A sequence of passes from Hannah McLaughlin to Margo Matula, and finally, Reagan Pentz brought the ‘Dores within their attacking third. The scoring opportunity was not there, though, so the Commodores decided to work the ball around their midfield, trying to catch an Eagle defender off their mark. The Black and Gold seemed to have a scoring opportunity when Pentz split two defenders to find Grace Freeman at the top of the box. However, the whistle was blown for an offsides call on Freeman. Several minutes later, Pentz crossed another ball to Sydney Watts. The attempt was read well by the Eagles’ defense and dispossessed from the ‘Dores. Despite the Black and Gold gaining a corner kick in the 10th minute, the kick was mishandled by the offense and did not result in a shot on goal. Less than a minute later, though, Vanderbilt had worked the ball back into its offensive third, gaining a shot from Freeman on a cross from Olivia Stafford that went wide left on the ground.
The Commodores’ first quality shot on goal came in the 20th minute when Ally Bollig sent a low and hard ball on a back pass where she stood at the top of the box. Just one play later, though, Pentz, with her back to the goal received the ball and turned, letting it rip. The shot looked like it would be the Black and Gold’s first goal of the game, but it bounced off the goalpost and into space — much to the packed crowd’s anguish. Vivian Akyriem ripped another shot on goal deep from the left corner, but Maggie Conrad, the Tennessee Tech goalie, stood tall and came up with the save. The Golden Eagles had their first free kick within their own attacking half in the 40th minute of the game, but Vanderbilt’s steadfast defense quickly controlled the floating ball and worked it back up the field, transitioning into a shot on goal from Watts.
The Commodores dominated the possession time in the first half but failed to break through. The first half of play concluded with the score knotted at zero between the two teams, with the Commodores outshooting the Golden Eagles 6-to-0, 2 of which were on target.
“The halftime conversation was ‘We’re playing the game [but] we’re not competing in the game’,” Ambrose said. “[We reminded the team that] you dont win games unless you are aggressive in tour mentality when you have the ball.”
Second half
Vanderbilt started with the back pass in the second and immediately went on the attack. Akyriem sped down the left sideline and sent a hard ball across the box, intended for Watts, but Tech’s Tori Soutuyo broke up the play. Maci Teater kept the Golden Eagles’ defense honest when she ripped a hard shot from outside the box, nearly missing the opposite post and sending Conrad diving for the ball. Akyriem sent another ball across the goal in the 51st minute but her team was unable to get the finishing touch among the scrap in front of the net. Minutes later, she sent another ball flying at Conrad, this one a direct shot, but the Tennessee Tech goalie got in front of it.
The Commodores finally broke through in the 55th minute of the game when they were awarded a free kick just outside the right-hand side of the top of the box. Jones was the one who stepped up to take it. The shot was a no-doubter, finding the right corner of the net and putting the ‘Dores up with a score of 1-0. With that goal, the Commodores found their rhythm. Mary Beth McLaughlin carried the ball upfield and, seeing an opening from about thirty yards out, let a shot rip. The shot hit the crossbar but bounced past the goal line, a call that was affirmed after review — putting the Commodores up by a score of 2-0.
Tennessee Tech did not give up, however. Midfielder Tori Soutuyo got the Golden Eagles’ first opportunity of the half when she dispossessed Pentz in the midfield and immediately countered. She dribbled the ball up field before ripping a shot from the outside of the box, forcing Sara Wojdelko to make her first save of the night for Vanderbilt. The ball dribbled past Wojdelko off her gloves, with the graduate student going down awkwardly on the save. The Golden Eagles were awarded a corner kick but were unable to come up with another goal-scoring opportunity on it. Watts had her first shot on goal in the 74th minute on a cross from Akyirem that the SEC Forward of the Year flipped up just over the crossbar. Adysen Armenta came off the bench for the Commodores, but made her presence known, running up to a loose ball and putting a shot on goal, which Conrad barely redirected over the top of the net. The two goals were all Vanderbilt would get on the night, advancing it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament to face Clemson, who defeated Liberty 2-1 earlier in the evening.
“This is the first time we’ve hosted Clemson,” Ambrose said. “They are young but they are talented. I don’t think there will be any doubt about us being motivated and prepared and ready. And we will start preparing tomorrow.”
Vanderbilt will next play Clemson in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Nov 20, at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex. The time has yet to be announced.
