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Run the East

Vanderbilt concludes 2019 with another historic season

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt wrapped up the 2019 season as one to remember with yet another championship.

The Commodores captured the SEC Eastern Division crown and concluded the season with a 14-5-2 mark.

The Dores began the campaign with a dominant 7-0 victory over Georgia State (Aug. 22) for their highest-scoring game since defeating Jackson State 8-0 (Aug. 28, 2016). Blue Ellis scored three times in the opener for the first hat trick by a Commodore since Sasha Grey notched one in the 8-0 victory over Jackson State in 2016.

This season was full of milestones with the first being head coach Darren Ambrose earning his 200th-career win in a 2-0 triumph over Colgate (Sept. 6).

The Commodores also started the 2019 slate with their best start in program history after winning their first seven games.

Vandy also set a new attendance record with a crowd of 1,193 for a thrilling 1-0 double-overtime win against in-state rival Tennessee (Sept. 22).

Behind a tandem of Lauren Demarchi and Taiana Tolleson in goal, Vanderbilt totaled 11 clean sheets. Five of those shutouts came in the first five games of the season, and the 11 shutouts were the third most posted in Vanderbilt history.

The senior goalkeepers set a Vanderbilt record with 459 consecutive shutout minutes. The record was previously held by Christy Barringer (1994) and Tyler Griffin (2005) with 450 consecutive shutout minutes.

The Commodores extended an impressive unbeaten home streak of 17 games into late September, which was carried over from the 2018 season. Vandy also posted three straight wins to close the regular season, helping them clinch the Eastern Division title.

Vanderbilt entered postseason play following a strong regular season record of 13-4-1 with all four defeats decided by one goal along with a scoreless road draw against No. 7 South Carolina.

Five Commodores (Nia Dorsey, Maddie Elwell, Haley Hopkins, Grace Jackson and Ella Shamburger) were named to the second team All-SEC before the start of the SEC Tournament. It was the second time making the All-SEC team for Dorsey, Hopkins and Shamburger while it was the third time Jackson made it.

Madiya Harriott and Haley Hopkins were tabbed to the SEC Tournament Team following Vanderbilt’s semifinals loss to eventual champions South Carolina. Hopkins’ brace proved to be the difference over Alabama in a 2-1 decision in the quarterfinals.

The Dores earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season with a road matchup at Clemson.

Vanderbilt posted its 11th shutout in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Clemson, but fell in penalty kicks 5-4 to conclude the 2019 season.

Four Commodores (Dorsey, Hopkins, Jackson and Shamburger) were honored to the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region teams. Hopkins was named to the first team and Dorsey to the second, both for the second consecutive season. Jackson and Shamburger were named to the third team.

Hopkins led the Commodores in goals with 13 and Elwell led them with 10 assists. Hopkins’ six game-winning goals also set a Vanderbilt record for most game-winners for a season in program history.

Several Commodores ended their careers finishing near the top of the Vanderbilt record books. Jackson set a Vanderbilt record with 83 consecutive starts. Dorsey and Jackson never missed a game in their time at Vanderbilt and both played in 83 straight games, good for sixth all-time in program history.

Demarchi and Tolleson finished with two of the best goals-against-averages in Vanderbilt history. Demarchi ranks second all-time in GAA (0.74) and Tolleson is third (0.99) in the Vandy record books.

The 13 goals the Commodores allowed were also the second-fewest allowed by a Vanderbilt team in a single-season.

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