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9/17/2006 NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Sarah Dennis came through in a big way for Vanderbilt, scoring the game winning goal on an 18-yard shot that blasted into the right side of the net to give the Commodores a 4-3 double-overtime win over Middle Tennessee Sunday afternoon at the VU Soccer Complex. Dennis assisted on two of the other three goals and then came through with her first score of the season at the 103:37 mark in overtime to give the Commodores the win. “There is not a better feeling in the world than when you are in sudden death overtime and you see Sarah Dennis line up and get the kind of shot that she is good at,” said Vanderbilt head coach Ronnie Coveleskie. “I am proud of her as a person and as a player. She has worked extremely hard in practice and it has paid off. She came up big for us today. I am really proud of her effort.” VU is unbeaten in its last five games and improved to 4-1-3 on the year, while Middle Tennessee dropped its second overtime decision of the year to fall to 6-2. The Commodores played the game without All-American goalkeeper Tyler Griffin who sat out due to an injury suffered at the very end of the UAB game Friday night. She was unable to play in today’s game, but the belief is she will be ready to go for next Friday’s SEC opener on the road against LSU. Middle Tennessee opened the game aggressive on the offensive side and scored the first goal of the match at the 8:08 mark, when Kala Morgan took a feed from Katy Rayburn and notched her ninth goal of the year. Nicole Lukens tied the game with her second goal in as many games at the 15:16 mark off an assist from Dennis. The Commodores regained possession quickly after the tying goal and Sarah Dennis had a shot on goal that hit the bar on the right side and ricocheted out. Meredith Kohn then put the Commodores ahead with her first goal of the year off another crossing assist from Dennis to make it 2-1 at the 23:28 point in the first. Vanderbilt took the lead into the half and out shot Middle Tennessee 11-7 in the frame. The Blue Raiders struck quickly to tie the game in the second half, as Jennifer Threlkeld took an assist from Kala Morgan and scored her fourth goal of the year at the 47:49 point. Susan McAleavey scored her second goal in as many games and team leading fourth of the season at the 54:40 mark to give the Commodores the lead back at 3-2. Kari Boersma hit an arching shot near midfield that Nicole Lukens tapped to McAleavey who shot it in easily past the Blue Raider goalkeeper. The Blue Raiders battled back to tie the game when Caitlin Reeves took an assist from Threlkeld and placed a winding shot into the left side of the net to make it 3-3. “The entire defensive unit just wasn’t on today,” said Coveleskie. “We were a step slow a lot of the time and we paid for that. But the big thing to me is that despite the fact that we gave up three goals we managed to find a way to score four. I think that is a real tribute to our girls’ ability to find a way to win.” Junior goalkeeper Erin Horan made her first career start and picked up the win with three saves on the afternoon. Sarah Dennis led the Commodores with a goal and two assists, while Nicole Lukens added a goal and an assist in the winning effort. The Commodores will open SEC play on the road next weekend against LSU and Arkansas. VU will face the Tigers on Friday at 7 p.m., and will then take on the Razorbacks on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Fayetteville. “Middle Tennessee is a very good team that presented us with some things that we haven’t really seen thus far this season,” added Coveleskie. “I think it is going to leave us well prepared for LSU on Friday.” MIDDLE TENNESSEE 1 2 0 0 – 3 VANDERBILT 2 1 0 1 – 4 Goals: MTSU- Morgan (9), Threlkeld (4), Reeves (2). VU- Lukens (2), Kohn (1), McAleavey (4), Dennis (1) |