ATHENS, Ga. — The Vanderbilt soccer team showed resilience in the second half with two goals in the final 32 minutes to earn a 2-1 road win over Georgia on Thursday night in the regular season finale.
With the results around the conference, Vanderbilt finished tied for fifth in the overall SEC standings and second in the SEC East. Due to tiebreakers, the Commodores will be the seventh seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament and face 10th-seeded Florida in the first round on Sunday in Orange Beach, Alabama.
“I am so proud of how this team has come together over the past two months,” Vanderbilt head coach Darren Ambrose said. “While disappointed to lose out on a bye by goal difference, we are excited to make a run in Orange Beach. Finishing second in the (SEC) East is a significant accomplishment for this group this year.”
Trailing 1-0 in the second half, Alex Kerr scored off a Maddie Elwell corner in the 59th minute to level the scoring. Freshman Quinn Cornog put the game away for Vanderbilt (8-8-2, 5-4-1 SEC) with a goal in the 88th minute off an assist from another Elwell corner.
Quinn Cornog. DORES take the lead. #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/x09S6I3PXm
— Vanderbilt Soccer (@VandySoccer) October 29, 2021
Georgia took a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute on a goal from Ellie Gilbert. Vanderbilt goalkeeper Kate Devine turned away the initial shot by Daniella Murguia, but Gilbert corralled the rebound and fired it home.
The Bulldogs held an 8-0 edge on shots in the first half with Devine making a pair of saves in the opening 45 minutes.
Kerr’s equalizer in the 59th minute was just Vandy’s second shot of the day. Elwell’s corner kick found Kerr’s feet in the box.
In the 83rd minute, Georgia threatened to retake the lead with a scrum in front of the net. Devine made a couple of key saves to keep the Dores tied.
That Vandy defense. wow. #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/RmDEl5wZnY
— Vanderbilt Soccer (@VandySoccer) October 29, 2021
The game-winning tally in the 88th minute was started with an Elwell corner that found Peyton Cutshall’s head and bounced to Cornog. The freshman calmly crushed a shot from six yards out for the goal.
Vandy has now won six in a row over the Bulldogs.
