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No. 20 Commodores Open SEC with 5-0 Win 9/23/2005 NASHVILLE — Five different players scored and the Vanderbilt women’s soccer team recorded eight assists in a 5-0 thumping of Arkansas in each teams’ Southeastern Conference opener. The eighth straight win sets a single-season VU record for most consecutive wins. The overall record for consecutive wins is at nine games set between the 1990 and 1991 seasons. “I was so focused on winning the first game in the SEC that I had no idea we were setting a school record tonight,” said head coach Ronnie Coveleskie Hill. “I think we played very good soccer tonight. I was very proud of the girls. We competed, we executed, we played with class. I’m very excited to see what this team can do in the SEC.” Nearly every player on the Commodore roster saw action tonight as 22 players checked into the game. The only VU student-athlete who did not play, walk-on freshman midfielder Lindsay Dyer (Centennial, Colo.), sat out because she has been battling tonsillitis. “At this point in the season, if we’re going to go after a championship in the SEC, it’s going to take all 23 of our players being on the same page and being able to execute and to compete. I was very proud of the way all of our players did that tonight and I was very happy to get everyone some game experience.” The five-goal total is the second most the No. 20 Commodores (8-1-0; 1-0-0) have scored this season. The team also earned its seventh shutout on the season thanks to a stingy defense that allowed only four shots by the Lady Razorbacks (3-5-0; 0-1-0). By comparison, VU fired 24 shots. During the offseason Hill emphasized to her players that they must convert on more of their scoring chances, and in particular on second-chances. The team has done just that, scoring 24 goals in the first nine games this year, as compared to only 26 goals in all of last season. Two of the five goals in tonight’s contest were second-chance efforts. Senior forward Kelci Hegg (Charlotte, N.C.) led the way with a goal (5) and two assists (2, 3), while junior forward Lea Lafield (Dallas, Texas) and freshman Katie Schulz (Peachtree City, Ga.) each earned two assists. It was sophomore Sarah Dennis (Germantown, Tenn.) who got things started for the Commodores with her third goal of the season only 1:09 into the game. Lafield took a pass from Schulz in the corner and crossed to the center of the box where Dennis trapped the ball and fired a rocket past Arkansas goalkeeper Carrie Dillsaver. It was that kind of night for Dillsaver who recorded 12 saves on the Commodores 17 shots on goal. It was the fifth game this season where VU has scored in the opening 10 minutes. Junior Susan McAleavey (Syosset, N.Y.) and sophomore Meredith Kohn (Alpharetta, Ga.) each scored their first goals of the season to give Vanderbilt a 3-0 only five minutes into the second half. Kohn also recorded her second assist of the year, along with Hegg, on McAleavey’s goal. Only a few minutes later Schulz and Lafield teamed up again to find Hegg for the fourth goal of the game. Lafield has four assists and Schulz has three on the season. The final goal of the game was scored in the 88th minute by freshman Jessica Lenze (Peachtree City, Ga.) Hegg and freshman Meghan Higgins assisted on Lenze’s fifth goal of the year (tied with Hegg for team lead). It was Higgins first career assist and point. Hegg now leads the team with 13 points, while Lenze has 10. Three players are tied for third with eight points. While the offensive explosion stole the show, the loudest ovation from the crowd of more than 600 came when junior goalkeeper Tyler Griffin (Charlotte, N.C.) made a diving save on a point-blank shot, in what was easily Arkansas’ best scoring chance. Griffin came out in the 84th minute to give sophomore backup Erin Horan (Las Vegas, Nev.) some SEC-game experience. “We have another challenge,” Hill said. “We’re going to enjoy this game tonight and then we’re going to get ready for a very good team in LSU.” The Commodores will now prepare to host LSU on Sunday at noon. The game, originally scheduled for 1 p.m., was moved to 12 p.m. to accommodate the Lady Tigers’ (4-2-2; 0-0-1) travel plans in regards to the recent hurricanes. The contest will still take place at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex. SCORING SUMMARY: GOAL Time Team Goal Scorer Assists —————————————————————————————————- 1. 1:09 VU Sarah Dennis (3) Lea Lafield; Katie Schulz 2. 36:58 VU Susan McAleavey (1) Meredith Kohn; Kelci Hegg 3. 50:21 VU Meredith Kohn (1) (unassisted) 4. 55:38 VU Kelci Hegg (5) Lea Lafield; Katie Schulz 5. 87:32 VU Jessica Lenze (5) Kelci Hegg; Meghan Higgins |