|
VU Soccer Opens Homestand Friday Night 9/28/2006 Goalkeeper Tyler Griffin goes for school record this weekend. NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt opens a four-game homestand as Alabama and Auburn come to town this weekend in Southeastern Conference soccer action. The Commodores (5-1-4, 1-0-1 SEC) will take on the Crimson Tide (4-6, 0-2 SEC) on Friday at 7 p.m. and will then face Auburn (6-3, 0-2 SEC) on Sunday at 2 p.m. Senior goalkeeper Tyler Griffin will look to break an 11-year old school record this weekend. She needs one more shutout to become the school’s all-time leader in the category surpassing Christy Barringer’s mark of 28.5 set from 1992-95. Griffin entered the year with 23 career shutouts and has five this season, including a 0-0 double overtime tie in the SEC opener against LSU last weekend. The Commodores are 5-0-2 in their last seven games and are ranked No. 6 in the Central Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association and No. 12 in the region by Soccer Buzz. Alabama is 4-6 overall and 0-2 in the SEC after dropping contests to South Carolina and Florida at home last weekend. Junior Jordan O’Banion leads the team in scoring with three goals, while goalkeeper Kara Gudmens sports a 1.59 goals against average in 10 games played. Vanderbilt has dominated the series, holding a 10-1-2 all-time advantage. VU won 1-0 last year in Tuscaloosa and have not lost to the Tide in the last five meetings. Auburn is 6-3 on the year, and like the Crimson Tide, are coming off of losses to Florida and South Carolina last weekend. The Tigers, ranked No. 6 in the Southeast Region by the NSCAA and No. 7 by Soccer Buzz, will take on Kentucky on the road on Friday before coming to Nashville. Freshman Caitlin King leads the offense with two goals and two assists, while goalkeeper Allison Whitworth has recorded two shutouts with a 0.92 goals against average on the year. Vanderbilt leads the Auburn series, 6-3-1 all-time, including a 1-0 win last year in Auburn. |
