Sept. 11, 2014
Game Notes | Greene Interview | Myers Interview
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After a week of spirited practices, the Vanderbilt soccer team hopes to start a new winning streak.
A pair of tough road losses to Rice and North Texas last weekend left a bad taste in the mouths of the Commodores. But coach Derek Greene says the team has addressed concerns and showed signs in practice of bouncing back this weekend against a pair of in-state foes.
Vanderbilt (3-3) hosts Lipscomb at 7 p.m. on Friday in a game that will be broadcast on the SEC Network + and is the first meeting between the schools. The Lady Bisons (4-2-1) are riding the program’s first ever three-game winning streak. At 1 p.m. on Sunday, the Commodores host UT-Chattanooga (1-4) in another game televised on SEC Network +.
The weekend will wrap up non-conference play as Vanderbilt heads into SEC action on Saturday, Sept. 21 at Georgia.
“You have to a really short memory playing college soccer and coaching college soccer – you have to move on and learn,” coach Derek Greene said. “Looking ahead to Lipscomb, a very good team, very well coached. We’re very excited to be playing them as a crosstown rival. I know we are going to get their best effort. I know they’re very excited to come here and have an opportunity to knock off an SEC team. So we’ll have to be ready to go.”
‘DORES WEEKLY REPORT
Vanderbilt returns home after three games on the road, including two games this past weekend in Texas. The Commodores dropped both, losing a 2-1 heartbreaker in overtime to Rice and being shut out 1-0 by North Texas.
Against Rice, Vanderbilt held a 1-0 lead for most of the game thanks to a header from senior defender Cherrelle Jarrett for her first goal of the season in the 37th minute. But the Commodores couldn’t escape with the win, letting up a goal in the 90th minute, with 39 seconds left. Rice then scored the game-winner less than a minute into overtime. On Sunday at North Texas, Vanderbilt got off to a slow start with only three shots in the first half. The Commodores fired off 10 in the second half but none found the back of the net in a 1-0 loss. It was the first time all season Vanderbilt (3-3) had lost consecutive games.
Freshman goalkeeper Christiana Ogunsami had 33 shots fired her way, the most in a two-game stretch this season, made 11 saves and allowed three goals. The Commodores will look to jumpstart the offense this weekend at home as they rank 10th in the SEC in shots (81), 13th in shots on goal (27) and 14th in goals (seven). On the flip side, Vanderbilt hopes to hold its opponents scoreless for the opening 45 minutes once again. The Commodores have not allowed a first-half goal through six games.
SCOUTING LIPSCOMB AND CHATTANOOGA
Lipscomb makes the short trek across town on Friday as the teams will be meeting for the first time on the pitch. The Lady Bisons (4-2-1) ride a three-game winning streak for their longest in program history. All three wins (against Austin Peay, Western Carolina and Chattanooga) have been shutouts. Lipscomb hasn’t allowed a goal since an overtime loss to Middle Tennessee State on Aug. 29, spanning 282 minutes. The Lady Bisons also tied Memphis, a team Vanderbilt defeated 2-1. A balanced attack leads Lipscomb, which has three players with a team-high two goals. Carolyn Springsteen was named the Atlantic Sun’s Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.
Then, on Sunday, Vanderbilt hosts Chattanooga, which lost to Lipscomb 2-0 on Sunday. The Mocs (1-4) have lost two straight since picking up their first win against Tennessee Temple. Crystal Mackezyk leads the team with five goals. Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 2-0 as the teams last met in 2003.
CIARROCCA’S BREAKOUT WEEKEND
Freshman Colby Ciarrocca emerged as a scoring threat after four goals in two games two weeks ago.
Ciarrocca was named the SEC Freshman of the Week and the Tennessee Sportswriters Association’s Player of the Week on Sept. 2. The Montgomery, N.J., native was honored after she scored two goals, including the game-tying and game-winning goals, in a 3-2 overtime win against Cincinnati on Aug. 29. Two days later, at Memphis, she scored twice more in a 2-1 win. They were the first four goals of her young career and she leads the team in goals (four), points (eight), game-winning goals (two) and shooting percentage (.400). Ciarrocca also made her first career start against Rice.
OGUNSAMI LEADS SEC
It hasn’t taken Christiana Ogunsami long to rise to the top of the SEC charts.
The freshman goalkeeper from Cherry Hill, N.J., leads the league with 30 saves and is tied for fifth in save percentage (.769). The 5-foot-11 Ogunsami has started all six games, made a career-high seven saves at Rutgers and posted her first career shutout in the season-opening win against Mercer on Aug. 22.
SIMONE SAYS
Sophomore Simone Charley returns as team’s top scorer and points leader after scoring five goals, dishing out five assists and notching 15 points in 2013.
The two-sport athlete from Hoover, Ala., was named an SEC All-Freshman selection last year. So far, she has continued her stellar play with one goal and two assists. She scored her lone goal against Cincinnati and has assisted twice on goals by freshman Colby Ciarrocca, including the game-winner against the Bearcats.
She also drew a foul in the penalty box in the season opener against Mercer, leading to the game-winning goal. She kept busy in the spring, too, by breaking the school record five times in the triple jump. She finished ninth at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships to earn second team All-American honors. At the USATF Junior Championship in June, she broke the school record again with a leap of 43-2.5 to finish third.
EXPERIENCED GROUP
The Commodores bring a wealth of experience for a team full of freshmen and sophomores, which count for 16 of the squad’s 30 players. Twenty-one letterwinners return from 2013, including nine starters. The trio of forward/defender Kelsey Tillman, defender Cherrelle Jarrett and midfielder Erin Myers (a team captain) started all 19 games.
SEC All-Freshman forward Simone Charley started 16 of 17 games before suffering a MCL sprain. Forward/midfielder Sasha Gray started 18 of 19 games. Midfielders Jamie Kator and Andie Lakin each made 16 starts. Defender Taylor Richardson made 14 starts. As a freshman, Olivia Liebman started 13 games in goal after Alexa Levick suffered an ACL injury.
In 2013, Vanderbilt scored 37 goals for its highest single-season scoring output since 2005. The Commodores also averaged 2.06 goals a game  their highest average in 13 years.
Forty-three percent of that scoring returns in 2014, including four players who scored multiple goals.
