March 15, 2009
CINCINNATI – Sarah Downing, Katherine Denkler and Ally Carey each recorded hat tricks as the No. 10 Commodores downded the Cincinnati Bearcats, 19-7, on Sunday afternoon at Nippert Stadium.
The two teams traded goals early in the first half with Cincinnati (4-3) taking a 3-2 lead at the 20:58 mark of the first period. Vanderbilt (3-3, 0-1) responded with six unanswered goals and pushed out to an 11-4 halftime lead that the Bearcats were unable to overcome.
Vanderbilt then shutdown the Bearcat offense, allowing just three goals in the second half. Natalie Wills recorded the win for VU. The freshman goalkeeper made three saves and grabbed three ground balls.
Denkler finished with six points (three assists), while Downing totaled five (one assist) and Carey four points (one point). Carey also won four draw controls, as Vanderbilt edged the Bearcats 17-11 in that category.
The Commodores also outshot Cincinnati 43-17 on the afternoon.
Vanderbilt wraps up its four-game road trip against ALC rival Penn State at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday, March 22.
