NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt concluded senior night with a dominant 5-1 victory over LSU on Friday night at the Vanderbilt Soccer/Lacrosse Complex.
The Commodores (11-3-1, 4-2-1) jumped on the Tigers from the opening kick and kept their lead to the closing minutes over the Tigers (2-11-2).
“The seniors are an incredible bunch of kids,” head coach Darren Ambrose said. “They were patient. They worked hard. They’ve all contributed, and they’re all great kids. They have been the most influential change in our culture since I got here.”
Vanderbilt gets the rest of the weekend off and continues conference play on Oct. 24 at home against No. 18 Texas A&M.
Leila Azari got the Commodores on the board early in the eighth minute. She beat a defender just outside the 18-yard box and delivered a left-footed shot that deflected perfectly off the left crossbar into the back of the net.
Azari stayed on the attacking end for the Commodores second goal in the 11th minute. She sent a fast-paced cross into the box that scraped past a Tiger defender right to Kaylann Boyd. After the senior corralled it, she also sent a left-foot shot right between the legs of a Tiger defender and into the goal.
Hannon Eberts delivered an emotional goal in the 30th minute to cap scoring in the first half for the Dores. After tearing her ACL in 2018, she just recently returned to the Vanderbilt lineup. After a cross from Ella Shamburger, Haley Hopkins sent a header that Eberts proceeded to also head past LSU’s goalkeeper for her first goal since 2016.
LSU drew a foul in the box late in the second half to set up a penalty shot for the Tigers.
Vanderbilt opened the second half with a goal just three minutes in. Maddie Elwell scored near the end line from just outside the 18-yard box from a near impossible angle to make it 4-1.
Vanderbilt’s final goal of the game came in the 58th minute with Azari notching her first multi-goal game of her career. Elwell was on the end of the goal as well after sending a cross through the box that narrowly missed being headed in.
Azari knocked in another goal with her opposite foot after sending a line drive into the box just past the outstretched hands of LSU’s goalkeeper.
Friday night’s game marked the most goals Vanderbilt scored since opening the season with a 7-0 win over Georgia State on Aug. 22.
