NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Waiting an extra day to kickoff its 2021 home finale, No. 4 Vanderbilt tied No. 17 Memphis in the 88th minute but the Tigers scored the golden goal six minutes into overtime to win 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at Vanderbilt Soccer Complex.
“I was really proud of how we got better as the game progressed,” said head coach Darren Ambrose. “We dealt with a number of adversarial moments as well as we could’ve asked our team to do so. Memphis is an excellent team and made it hard for us in this one. We created chances and generally defended well but we made one or two mistakes around the 18-yard box and you simply can’t make those mistakes against a team like Memphis.
“It’s a shame the game was decided by things outside of our control but that’s the nature of sports. I couldn’t be more proud of the effort and comeback but we have to find a way to grind out a result in overtime.”
Trailing 2-0 after a pair of second-half Memphis (7-1-0) goals, Vanderbilt got its first goal back in the 77th minute when Leila Azari served up a free kick to Haley Hopkins in the box. After Hopkins drew the penalty to setup the free kick, she rose above her defender and headed home her seventh goal of the season to bring Vanderbilt (9-5-0) within one.
77′ | Azari to Hopkins on a set piece, we’re within one. #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/xFGY572Q2I
— Vanderbilt Soccer (@VandySoccer) March 28, 2021
Searching for the equalizer, Hopkins again found herself in the center of Vanderbilt’s attack and beat her defender one-on-one on the right side of goal. Getting around her defender, she settled and crossed to Abi Brighton, who volleyed a beautiful ball between a defender on the line and the left post to even the game and send it to overtime.
While Hopkins nearly won it for Vanderbilt seconds into extra time, Memphis scored the game-winner in the 96th minute. With the third goal, it marked the first time Vanderbilt has allowed more than two goals in a game on West End since the 2017 season, snapping a run of 28 consecutive games.
88′ | GOAL VANDERBILT. TIED ON WEST END.
Abi Brighton on 🎯 with an #SCTop10 strike.
What. A. STRIKE. #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/za0CHTm02c
— Vanderbilt Soccer (@VandySoccer) March 28, 2021
With one more game on the 2020-21 regular-season schedule, Vanderbilt will go out on the road April 11 to visit Duke. The Blue Devils are currently ranked in the top seven in both national polls this week.