GREENVILLE, N.C. – Vanderbilt’s offensive fire power was on full display with a 19-12 road victory over East Carolina at Johnson Stadium on Friday in American Athletic Conference action.
With the victory, the Commodores extend their winning streak to six games, tying for the second-longest in program history.
The 19 goals are the second-highest scoring output for the Dores this season. Vanderbilt had 12 goal scorers on the day led by Callie Sundin with three. Gabby Fornia, Bri Gross, Lila Huddles and Mikela McCauley all had two goals apiece.
Vanderbilt had a majority of the possession on the day thanks to 19 draw controls to ECU’s 13. McCauley posted a game-high six draw controls with Gross adding four.
“I was really happy with the draw today,” Vanderbilt head coach Beth Hewitt said. “I thought that specifically Mikela (McCauley) did an incredible job of just getting us extra possessions. She’s been working hard on the draw, and it kind of all came together for her today… Overall, I thought the draw control really controlled the game for us.”
After giving up the first goal, the Commodores settled down with four-consecutive goals to take control at 4-1 just 10 minutes into the game. ECU scored two more goals before Huddles responded with back-to-back tallies – one on a free position and the other on a feed from Fornia to make it 6-3.
The Pirates chipped away and got within one at 6-5 with just under nine minutes to go before halftime.
Vanderbilt’s offense took over from there, scoring the next five goals in less than four minutes to extend the advantage to 11-5. Gross scored a pair of goals over the stretch with Maddie Souza adding a goal and an assist.
👀 This move from Bri Gross.
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🟣 51st » 7:08 #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/i6uxY6VRUZ
— Vanderbilt Lacrosse (@VandyLacrosse) March 26, 2021
The Commodores held an 11-6 halftime lead.
The first three goals of the second half went to Vanderbilt with Sundin completing her hat trick and Griffin Gearhardt and McCauley getting into the scoring action.
Later in the half, the Vanderbilt lead ballooned to nine at 17-8 with 13:39 to go behind goals from Fornia and Kayla Rieu. After more back and forth, freshman Megan Graziano scored her first collegiate goal with 5:07 to go to make it 19-10.
👏 Megan Graziano gets the goal.
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🟣 102nd » 5:07 #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/zpD4L8DMyZ
— Vanderbilt Lacrosse (@VandyLacrosse) March 26, 2021
Paige Gunning secured the win with six saves in goal, and Lexie de Roziere also made three saves off the bench.
Vanderbilt outshot East Carolina by a 41-30 margin and finished with four free position goals.
The Commodores and Pirates will play again at 11 a.m. CT (noon ET) on Sunday at Johnson Stadium.
