Dores fall to Missouri State, 2-1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt women’s soccer team suffered its first defeat of the season on Sunday, a 2-1 loss to Missouri State at the VU Soccer Complex.

“This was a disappointing loss for our team after a really good performance on Friday night,” VU Head Coach Derek Greene said. “Give Missouri State credit — they came in with a good game plan, battled hard and took advantage of their opportunities.”

Vanderbilt outshot the Missouri State, 17-10, and earned 10 corner kicks to only three for the Bears.

“We certainly had plenty of chances to score in this game,” Greene said. “We’ve worked hard this week on making good decisions in the final third. Our finishing today was below our standard.”

The Commodores scored the game’s first goal in the 40th minute on a play started and finished by senior Bridget Lohmuller. Lohmuller played a ball out wide to freshman Kirsten Evans, and Evans hit a sharp cross back across the box and low. Fellow freshman Ashley Oswald appeared in position to play the ball, but let it go to instead, and Lohmuller’s one-time effort rocketed inside the far post.

The Bears would tie the game early in the second half. Off a Missouri State throw-in in Vanderbilt’s half, MSU’s Rachel Weimer got behind the Commodore defense on a breakaway and calmly slid a shot past VU goalkeeper Alexa Levick inside the far post. It was the first goal the Commodores had allowed this season in more than 225 minutes.

Fourteen minutes later Missouri State took the lead. Nia Williams took a free kick from behind the midfield stripe which was headed at the top of the box by Tiffany Laughlin. The ball took an awkward bounce inside the penalty area and found its way over Levick for the Bears’ second score.

Despite outshooting Missouri State by a 9-5 margin in the second half, the Commodores were unable to equalize in the final 30 minutes.

Vanderbilt heads out on its first road trip this weekend, traveling to Tampa, Fla. for the 2011 Dafeldecker Classic hosted by South Florida. The Commodores take on the host Bulls on Friday, Sept. 2 at 4 p.m. CT, then face College of Charleston on Sunday, Sept. 4 at 11 a.m. CT.

Vanderbilt returns home the following weekend to play host to Middle Tennessee State on Friday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. CT at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex.