#6/4 Vanderbilt Commodores (9-4-0)
vs.
#17/– Memphis Tigers (6-1-0)
March 27, 2021 • 6 p.m. CT
Vanderbilt Soccer Complex • Nashville, Tenn.
SEC Network+
Dores and Tigers on a Saturday Night
- Set for a ranked showdown on West End this weekend, No. 4 Vanderbilt will host No. 17 Memphis on Saturday night at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
- Vanderbilt leads the all-time series against Memphis 4-2-0 with the Commodores taking the last two meetings.
- This weekend marks the first outing between the two programs since the 2014 season.
- Each of the last three games between the two have been decided by 2-1 scorelines.
Attendance Update
- Starting with this weekend’s match, Vanderbilt is allowing a limited number of fans for regular-season soccer and lacrosse games at Vanderbilt Soccer/Lacrosse Complex.
- Tickets for both soccer and lacrosse are free.
- To attend soccer, tickets must be requested through the Vanderbilt Ticket Office, as tickets will not be provided on game day. With a limited number of tickets available, fans will be contacted via email if they have tickets to Saturday’s game.
- For more information, please contact the Vanderbilt Ticket Office at (615) 322-4653 on weekdays during normal business hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or email at ticket.office@vanderbilt.edu.
Our Spring Schedule
- Vanderbilt is in the midst of a spring slate that, originally scheduled, consisted of three exhibitions and four regular-season games before turning its attention to the NCAA Tournament.
- Selections for the tournament are scheduled for April 19. Vanderbilt has the automatic bid from the SEC because of its SEC title in November.
- The originally scheduled slate saw Vandy play regular season games against Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Memphis and Duke after exhibitions against Middle Tennessee and DePaul. It rounded out its exhibition schedule on March 7 with a matchup against Racing Louisville FC of the NWSL.
- With Lipscomb forced to cancel due to the rescheduling of a conference match, Vanderbilt now plays three exhibitions and three regular games before the NCAA Tournament.
Last Time Out
- Maddie Elwell served up two corners from the right side and a cross from the left in a span of four minutes of game action that found the heads of Madi Allen, Raegan Kelley and Haley Hopkins to spur Vanderbilt to victory in a 3-1 defeat of Kennesaw State.
- Elwell’s three assists mark the second time she’s had three assists in a game in her career. It also fell one short of matching the program record for most in a game, set back in 1990.
Ranked Dores
- Vanderbilt is ranked No. 4 in the latest Top Drawer Soccer poll. It also checks in at No. 6 in the nation in the United Soccer Coaches poll.
- Previously, Vanderbilt’s highest ranking in program history was No. 7 during the 2018 season in both polls.
Noting the SEC Title
- Vanderbilt’s SEC title is the third tournament championship in program history and the first since 1994.
- After scoring 11 goals in eight regular-season games in 2020, Vanderbilt came alive in the SEC Tournament with a tournament-record 14 goals in four games while allowing just four.
- Seven players tallied goals in the tournament with Raegan Kelley leading the way with three. Haley Hopkins, Maddie Elwell and Abi Brighton also added two apeice with Kimya Raietparvar nailing two penalty kicks.
- Along the way, Vanderbilt took down three nationally-ranked teams and each of the top three seeds in No. 13 Tennessee (No. 2 seed), No. 8 Texas A&M (No. 3 seed) and No. 6 Arkansas (No. 1 seed).
Some of the Nation’s Best
- With Top Drawer Soccer announcing its top players in the nation, three Commodores made the lists.
- Abi Brighton has been named one of the best 11 freshmen in the country.
- Haley Hopkins and Ella Shamburger were named to the organization’s Top 100 in the country. Hopkins is No. 41 and Shamburger checked in at No. 87.
Head Coach Darren Ambrose
- In his sixth season leading Vanderbilt soccer, Darren Ambrose has guided one of the best runs in program history.
- The Dores have amassed a 70-37-10 record and 33-20-7 SEC mark during his tenure. Fourteen of those wins are over ranked opponents, meaning Ambrose has guided the program to 14 of its 22 wins over ranked teams.
- To date, Vanderbilt has three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament with a fourth coming in April thanks to the secured automatic bid, an SEC regular season championship (2018), a tournament championship (2020) and an East Division championship (2019) under his leadership.
- Ambrose is the first Vanderbilt head coach in 21 years to have three consecutive double-digit win seasons (2017-19) and will make it four years in a row with one more win during the spring season.
Looking Ahead
- With one more regular-season game on the docket, Vanderbilt will go out on the road to visit top-10 foe Duke on April 11. Kickoff in Durham is set for 1 p.m.
- After that, Vanderbilt will await its NCAA Tournament selection on April 19.