NASHVILLE, Tenn. –Carrie Patterson’s team leading sixth goal of the season came on a header two and a half minutes into overtime to lead No. 20 Georgia to a 3-2 win over Vanderbilt Friday night at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex.
The game was a back and forth affair, with the Bulldogs (11-1-1, 4-0-1 SEC) coming away with their 11th win of the year while remaining undefeated in Southeastern Conference play with a 4-0-1 record.
Patterson’s golden goal came on a cross assist from Caroline Simpson, and the header shot was positioned past Vanderbilt goalkeeper Rachel Bachtel into the corner of the net for the win.
Vanderbilt (4-6-2, 1-2-1 SEC) played its third overtime contest in the last four games and lost despite a 15 shot offensive attack.
“I am pleased with the way we played today,” said Vanderbilt head coach Ronnie Coveleskie. “I thought the girls played hard and had some dangerous attacks. I just thought it was a great college soccer game.”
Freshman Molly Kinsella scored her team leading fifth goal of the year at the 16:25 mark to give the Commodores a 1-0 lead. She took a long pass assist from Lindsay Ratterman and scored from inside the six yard box.
“It’s always huge to score the first goal of the game,” said Coveleskie. “Molly has done such a great job of finishing her chances, but unfortunately she got hurt later saving a goal attempt against us. I hope that she will be ok.”
The Bulldogs came back to tie the game at the 30:16 mark when Rachel Barstow scored on a corner assist from Kelli Corless from a yard out inside the left post.
The game went into halftime tied at 1-1 before Georgia took the lead just a minute into the second half when Joni Vickers rocketed a shot from just inside 18 yards out past Bachtel into the right side of the net.
Vanderbilt quickly responded as Amy Wilcox hit a laser shot of her own from the top of the box to tie the game at 2-2.
“I thought we had some great looks on frame in the second half,” said Coveleskie. “Amy Wilcox finished that ball like a champ, and I thought we scored two world-class goals today.”
The Commodores last chance to take the lead in regulation came at the five minute mark when Amy Baumann lofted a shot that went just high of the cross bar from 10 yards out.
“I leave the game very optimistic,” Coveleskie added. “I thought this was our best attacking game, and I thought it was our sharpest game. Unfortunately the score doesn’t reflect how well we played.”
Vanderbilt will take on No. 14 Tennessee on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Lady Vols defeated Kentucky 1-0 tonight and will enter the game with a 8-2-2 overall record and a 3-1-1 record in conference play. The contest will be televised on Fox Sports South.
“Tonight we need to rest up, come back out tomorrow morning, and prepare for a very different Tennessee team,” summed up Coveleskie. “We need to be able to get our legs back and prepare for another Top 20 team on Sunday. You just never get an opportunity to rest in the SEC.”
