NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt soccer team capped off non-conference play with a scoring outburst the program hasn’t seen in seven years.
With Southeastern Conference play set to begin next weekend, the Commodores boosted their confidence with a 6-0 win over Chattanooga on Sunday afternoon at the VU Soccer/Lacrosse Complex. Six players scored for Vanderbilt, which last scored six goals in a game on Sept. 9, 2007 against Tennessee Tech.
The Commodores used 28 players and fired off an astonishing 47 shots while Chattanooga (1-6) had just one. Through eight games, Vanderbilt (5-3) already has more wins than they had all of last season.
“I told the team before the game I’m not sure what to expect from Chattanooga. We didn’t have a ton of information on them. But we knew what to expect from us,” coach Derek Greene said. “It took about 10 minutes to get flowing in that game but once we did, we never looked back. I think the fact we could score some quality goals and do some things in the attacking third we haven’t done. Could have had more but we stuck six in and that is really good. We were very aggressive going forward and we never looked back.”
Simone Charley broke open the scoring with her second goal of the season in the 20th minute. Seventy-seconds later Colby Ciarrocca netted her team-high fifth goal and the rout was on.
In the 29th minute, off an assist from Charley, Ashley Oswald netted her first goal of the season. Oswald also added two assists to tie Charley for the team-high with three for the season. Later in the half, Oswald then recorded her second assist in as many games when her shot bounced off the crossbar and right to fellow Gena Inbusch, who scored her second goal in as many games.
Oswald also dropped off a pass to redshirt junior Taylor Elliott, who wrapped up the first-half scoring by booting her first career goal with 13 seconds before halftime for a 5-0 lead. Sophomore Sasha Gray capped off the scoring in the 47th minute with her first goal of the season.
“We just came out there to fight and get the win we needed for this weekend coming up,” Elliott said. “After last weekend, with two hard losses, we just needed a good, 2-0 weekend to put us into SECs.”
Seventeen Vanderbilt players attempted shots. Charley led the way with 10, including six on goal. Ciarrocca had seven shots and Inbusch had six, with four on goal. On the flip side, Vanderbilt has yet to allow a goal in the first half. The Commodores have posted two consecutive shutouts and haven’t allowed a goal in more than 201 minutes, which spans three game. Vanderbilt last let in a goal on Sept. 7 in the 69th minute against North Texas.
Goalkeeper Shannon Morrish relieved freshman Christiana Ogunsami at halftime, making her season debut and playing the final 45 minutes. Ogunsami and Morrish combined for the shutout, the team’s third of the season.
Greene was able to get valuable minutes for many of his players. Seniors Brittney Thomas and Ashley Vega made their season debuts. Freshmen Brittany Correia, Logan Cox, Mia MacLean Vernic, Claire Ramage and Emily Sanchez all played in their first college game.
“When your starters and core players can establish themselves in a game like this,” Greene said, “it is awesome to get those young kids some good time or the players who have been working hard and just haven’t had a chance to get minutes because the games are always tight. I’m really proud of that group that stepped in and played. To be honest, I told the team this, we never had a letdown. We controlled that game the entire time no matter who was on the field. That was really good that we established our dominance. I was proud of those kids that got to do that.”
Vanderbilt will have exactly a week before its next game. The Commodores open SEC play on the road at 2 p.m. next Sunday against Georgia. It will also be the first Vanderbilt soccer game broadcast on the SEC Network.
