April 28, 2018
NASHVILLEâ€â€Vanderbilt lacrosse took a lead into halftime but could not hold the line in the team’s season finale, losing at home to Denver by the final score of 11-10 on Saturday afternoon.
The Commodores (8-9, 3-6 BIG EAST) end the season on a five-game losing streak while the Pioneers (11-5, 6-3 BIG EAST) clinch a spot in the conference tournament. Vanderbilt was eliminated from a postseason berth prior to today’s action.
Sophomore attacker Emily Mathewson led the Commodores with six goals in the game, tying her career-high. Mathewson finishes the season with 51 goals, joining teammate Kayla Peterson to become the first duo in Vanderbilt history to score 50 goals in the same season. Peterson scored two goals Saturday, ending the year with a program-record 58 goals. Prior to this season, only three Vanderbilt players had ever scored 50 goals in a season.
The Commodores led 9-5 at halftime, scoring two goals in the final minute to regain their largest lead of the afternoon heading into the break. The Dores jumped ahead 3-0 in the first eleven minutes and did not trail in the opening half.
The Pioneers scored the first six goals of the second half to turn the tide, holding VU off the board for the first 24 minutes and 14 seconds of the period before Mathewson’s sixth goal of the gameâ€â€and fifth free position goal of the afternoonâ€â€got the Commodores back within a single goal with 5:46 left in regulation.
Vandy had a man-up opportunity in the final two minutes, but could not tie the game as the Pioneers held on to clinch the three seed in the BIG EAST Tournament.
Grace Bell made seven saves in goal for the Commodores, while senior defender Frankie Angeleri closed out her Commodore career with five ground balls, three caused turnovers and a draw control. Angeleri did not commit a foul or a turnover in the game.
Vanderbilt’s full season recap and highlight video will debut later this week.
