MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Vanderbilt defeated Memphis, 1-0, in a defensive duel Saturday night at the Park Avenue Campus Stadium.
“That was a great game for both teams,” head coach Darren Ambrose said. “They came out of the gates strong, and we responded really well. We established possession early on and that helped set the tempo of the game.”
The 17th-ranked Commodores turned in a perfect 2-0 preseason for the second straight season after tonight’s victory over the defending AAC champions.
“Memphis is a good team every year,” Ambrose said. “Whether we win or lose, we learn something about ourselves each time we play them. They definitely gave us some things to think about moving forward.”
The match remained scoreless for the first 74 minutes before Vanderbilt scored. Peyton Cutshall delivered with an unassisted goal that proved to be the difference maker in the match.
“Peyton (Cutshall) was one of the most impactful players of the game,” Ambrose said. “She was very physical, won a lot of balls in the air and was able to connect on a lot of passes.
“She scored a great goal where she intercepted a clearing attempt and was able to loop it into the top corner. She took it incredibly well.”
Vanderbilt received playing time from 22 different Commodores, including three goalkeepers each getting 30 minutes in the net. Sarah Fuller notched her first collegiate win while captain Lauren Demarchi posted one save and senior Taiana Tolleson posted two.
The Commodores managed 11 shots in the game while holding the Tigers to six. The Dores also won the possession battle for the second straight game with a 54-46% possession advantage.
“This game teaches you what you need to learn,” Ambrose said. “We created three chances early on and with a little more practice and timing, we should be able to execute on those opportunities.”
The Commodores welcome Georgia State on Thursday, Aug. 22 for the highly anticipated season opener. It will be free admission at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex as well as being streamed on SEC Network+.
