Soccer defeats UAB, 5-1

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Vanderbilt scored four goals in the first half en route to a 5-1 win over UAB on Friday night at West Campus Field in Birmingham, Ala.

The Commodores scored four goals in 15 minutes during the middle of the first half and never looked back in taking a season-opening victory. Vanderbilt last scored at least five goals in a 6-0 win against Tennessee Tech on Sept. 9, 2007.

“What a great way to start the season,” VU Head Coach Ronnie Woodard said. “We’d been working on our attack as a group. I thought we did a fantastic job of being very dynamic in the attacking third.

“My favorite part about it all was that they were all different types of goals. There’s not one trademark you could look at and say ‘that’s a Vanderbilt attacking style.’ It was different every single time we attacked.”

Sophomore Dana Schwartz scored the Commodores’ first goal of 2010 in the 12th minute when senior Megan Kinsella beat two defenders on the right side and crossed the ball inside the six-yard box. Schwartz was their to finish near post and give VU a 1-0 lead.

Less than a minute later, Schwartz slotted a ball to junior Candace West who gave the Commodores a 2-0 advantage with a low shot past UAB goalkeeper Alexis Braziel. West would tally another goal in the 20th minute after Megan Kinsella won a VU free kick from 25 yards out. West stepped up with her left foot and put the ball just inside the back post to give VU a 3-0 edge.

Senior Nicole Adams capped Vanderbilt’s first-half scoring in the 26th minute off the second assist from Megan Kinsella. In the second half, Schwartz tallied her second of the day when a ball she sent in deflected off a UAB defender and into the net.

UAB got a goal back in the 70th minute as Laura McCalla scored off the crossbar from 25 yards out. Vanderbilt outshot UAB 13-4 on the day and only had two shots that were not on goal — one of which hit the post off the head of Adams.

The Commodores return to Nashville and will play host to their regular season home opener next Friday, August 27, when Minnesota visits the VU Soccer Complex for a 7 p.m. CT game.