NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt women’s soccer team had 10 shots on frame but it wasn’t enough to get by Arkansas, as the Razorbacks edged the Commodores 2-0 at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex Friday night. VU was shutout for only the second time this season, with the last shutout coming against Georgia on Oct. 4. With the loss the Commodores fall to 7-5-1 and 1-4 in the SEC while Arkansas improves to 7-3-3 and 1-3-1 in conference play.
“First off I want to give credit to the way Arkansas played tonight,” Head Coach Ronnie Woodard. “Arkansas outplayed us and their attention to detail and their commitment to winning the game outweighed us tonight. Now, our biggest challenge is how we’re going to prepare for tomorrow. We have to quickly put this loss behind us.”
Arkansas took the early 1-0 lead at the 36:32 mark when Sophie Wentz received a pass from Chelsea Tidwell and placed one perfectly into the top right corner of the net from five yards out.
The rest of the first half the Commodores and Razorbacks went back-and-forth as VU went to the locker room with seven to five shot advantage. One highlight of the opening stanza for the Commodores was the return of Megan Kinsella, who had missed the previous three games with a knee injury. Kinsella checked in halfway through the first half and gave the ‘Dores some quality minutes at the midfield position.
“Megan’s knee is okay,” Woodard said. “This is her first game back and she played limited minutes for us tonight.”
Arkansas added to its 1-0 lead at the 63:27 mark when Allie Chandler went to top-shelf to the upper left corner past the outstretched arms of VU goalkeeper Rachel Bachtel. Chandler’s goal was her fifth of the season and gave Arkansas a 2-0 lead with 27 minutes to go in the second half.
VU turned up the intensity on the offensive end late in the second half but was unable to come away with any goals. Nicole Lukens led Vanderbilt with six shots, including three on net while Molly Kinsella and Mary Rachel Reynolds added three shots apiece.
Bachtel finished the game with a season-high seven saves including one diving save that would of extended Arkansas lead midway through the second half.
The Commodores will return to the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex on Sunday as the play host to No. 10 LSU. The game with the Tigers (8-3-2 overall, 4-1 SEC) will get underway at 1 p.m. from the VU Soccer Complex. Kentucky handed LSU its first conference loss of the season as the Wildcats handed the Tigers a 1-0 loss in Lexington, Ky. Friday night.
“We have to step on the field tomorrow morning and prepare for LSU, who is No. 10 in the country,” Woodard said. “We have to give all the credit to Arkansas for putting us in uncomfortable situations and finishing two unbelievable shots.”
Sunday’s game with LSU will be webcasted live on vucommodores.com while live stats will also be available.
