Commodores Fall to Top Seed Lady Vols in Shootout

Commodores Fall to Top Seed Lady Vols in Shootout

11/4/2005

Orange Beach, Ala. — In a SEC Tournment semifinal match-up between the Southeastern Conference Co-Coaches of the Year — Vanderbilt’s Ronnie Coveleskie Hill and Tennessee’s Angela Kelly — it went down to the wire. The No. 4 seed Commodores and the No. 1 seed Lady Vols were scoreless through 110 minutes of play in a double-overtime that went to a shootout, but UT ultimately won by a score of 4-3.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

“I was pleased with the effort our team gave today,” Hill said. “To play not only 90 minutes but then two overtimes was impressive and I was very happy with how they played. We did the best we could and I am very proud of our team.”

To start the shootout VU sophomore Amy Baumann (Highlands Ranch, <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Colo.) fired in a goal past Vanessa Phillips-Bosshart. UT answered right back with a goal by Emily Redberg. Sophomore midfielder Susan McAleavey was next to tee off, and she also scored to give VU a 2-1 edge.

Junior goalkeeper Tyler Griffin (Charlotte, N.C.), who on Wednesday was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and earned her second straight All-SEC First Team honor, made a diving save on Genna Gorman’s shot to give VU a 2-1 edge. Vanderbilt’s junior defender Kim Perkins (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), who scored an insurance goal on a penalty kick in the opening round victory against Georgia, saw her shot saved by Phillips-Bosshart.

Tennessee, tied it at 2-2 on the next kick despite Griffin getting a piece of the ball, it still deflected in. UT then made its final two kicks, while only junior defender Monica Buff (Lilburn, Ga.) could find the net for VU. Freshman midfielder Katie Schulz (Peachtree City, Ga.), who took for the fourth shot for the ‘Dores had her shot saved.

“You hope to learn something when you are in a situation like this,” Hill said. “You have to feel like you can get better from something like this. I think there is some validity to that. You always want to try and learn something every time you play. So we hope being in a situation like this can only make us better.”

It was only the second overtime game of the season for the Commodores, who also tied Ole Miss 0-0 two weeks ago. The loss marks the second straight year that VU fell to Tennessee in the semifinals. This year however, the Commodores are hoping that their season is not over as they hope to hear their name called when the NCAA Championship Tournament Bracket is announced.

“I feel nervous and excited about the possibility of being in the NCAA Tournament,” Hill said. “Obviously the bids haven’t come out yet, but we hope we will be on of the selected.”

The 64-team Women’s College Cup bracket will be announced on ESPNews on Monday, Nov. 7 between approximately 5-5:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Immediately following the ESPNews announcement, the bracket will be available at www.ncaasports.com. If selected, the team would play again Friday, Nov. 11 at a campus host site.