NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 2/1 Vanderbilt soccer scored three goals in five minutes near the end of the first half, burying Florida for a 3-0 win on Thursday night.
In front of 1,880 fans at Vanderbilt Soccer Complex, the Commodores (13-0-1, 6-0-1 SEC) posted their 12th multi-goal game of the season. They now have 13 wins for just the 11th time in school history, and the fifth time in Darren Ambrose’s 12 seasons.
The hosts were in control for the entire match and scored in the 12th minute through Margo Matula, but it was ruled out for a foul on the Florida goalkeeper. Vandy again found the back of the net in the first half, but a foul in the build-up wiped away another. In the 37th minute, Courtney Jones unleashed a long-range shot that the goalkeeper could only punch into the net to finally break through. Thirty-seven seconds later, the Dores won it high up the pitch, and Sydney Watts fired it home for her 14th goal of the season.
Vicky Pugh subbed into the game in the 42nd minute, and less than 30 seconds later, she turned her defender and curled a beautiful ball into the top right corner to put the game to bed before the halftime whistle.
The clean sheet is the Commodores’ third in a row and fifth in seven SEC matches. Alexa Gianoplus made three saves for her and now has six total shutouts to go with six goals allowed on the year.
With South Carolina’s draw at Texas A&M, Vandy sits alone in first place by two points over the Gamecocks and Alabama. They will head to Tuscaloosa for a top-10 battle with the Tide on Sunday at 6 p.m.