'Dores can't hold on in overtime loss to Rice

HOUSTON – Seconds separated the Vanderbilt soccer team from their third straight win.

But victory was snatched away from the Commodores.

Rice scored in the 90th minute to force overtime and then scored the game-winner in the opening minute of overtime to hand Vanderbilt a 2-1 loss on Friday night.

“We played with some good effort but the soccer was never there,” head coach Derek Greene said. “Our speed of play was bad and we just weren’t sharp. I am not sure why we were so off from the start but we need to fix it quickly to bounce back Sunday against a good North Texas team.”

The Commodores took a 1-0 lead in the 37th minute. Senior defender Cherrelle Jarrett headed in a goal off a free kick by Jamie Kator, who recorded her first assist of the season. It was the first goal of the year for Jarrett and the fourth of the captain’s career.

It appeared Vanderbilt (3-2) was closing in on its third straight win for its longest winning streak in three years. But the Commodores failed to close out Rice (3-1-1). Vanderbilt was outshot 17-10, including 10-6 in the second half. Sophomores Simone Charley and Sasha Gray led Vanderbilt with two shots apiece. Charley had a chance to push the lead to 2-0 but her shot bounced off the post.

Greene said Rice sent a lot of players up to the goal toward the end of the game and the increase in attackers worked for the Owls. With 39 seconds left, Jenny Fichera scored from close range in heavy traffic to tie the game and send it to overtime. Less than a minute into the extra period, Nia Stallings ended the game when she scored after a header from Lauren Hughes.

Vanderbilt freshman goalkeeper Christiana Ogunsami made her fifth career start and made five saves.

The Commodores look to respond from the tough loss as they stay in the Lone Star State and play North Texas at 1 p.m. on Sunday.