MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt women’s soccer team captured an exciting 2-1 victory over Memphis on the road Friday night at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex. Freshman Simone Charley assisted on Vanderbilt’s first goal and netted the Commodores’ eventual game-winner.
Vanderbilt took the lead in the 15th minute. Charley ran down a ball in the deep left corner and passed it out to Williams inside the 18-yard box. The sophomore took two touches than fired a shot that glanced off the under side of the cross bar and into the far corner of the netting.
Memphis tied the game less than 10 minutes later. Nugene Nugest played a ball over a Commodore defender to Christabel Oduro, and the Canadian forward slid a shot past VU keeper Olivia Liebman. But it would be the VU freshman’s only blemish as she made five saves to earn her first collegiate victory.
In the 53rd minute, Charley put Vanderbilt on top to stay. Again playing from the left side, Charley blew past her defender and fired a right-footed laser that ricocheted off the inside of the far post and across to the netting of the opposite corner.
The Vanderbilt defense held strong for the remainder of the contest, allowing Memphis only five more shots for the remainder of the game. Most of those efforts were from distance and lacked danger, though the Lady Tigers did have one near-miss in the 89th minute when a 24-yard shot from Honeye Heydari hit the crossbar and bounded away.
Vanderbilt returns home this Sunday, Sept. 1, when Rice visits the VU Soccer Complex for a rare Sunday night game under the lights.
