NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A pair of second half goals against No. 14 Texas A&M secured the Vanderbilt soccer team its second top-20 shutout victory under head coach Darren Ambrose.
After knocking on the Aggie’s door and holding the majority of the possession throughout the first half, both team’s headed into the final 45 minutes of play scoreless. Just three minutes into the second half, Nia Dorsey’s first collegiate goal propelled Vanderbilt to a 1-0 lead.
The VU advantage was achieved following a detrimental foul by TAMU just outside their 18-yard box. Lydia Simmons served a beautiful free kick into Aggie territory, which Grace Jackson managed to head down and keep in play. Through the scramble inside the goal box, Dorsey found the ball and netted the first goal of the evening.
Brooke Colangelo nearly gave VU an extended lead as she nailed the Aggie crossbar. In what could have been her first goal of the season, the sophomore’s opportunity was avenged just two minutes later.
In the 81st minute, VU set up for its fifth corner of the evening. Lydia Simmons placed the ball just outside the goal box, with an Aggie on the receiving end. Texas A&M’s Grace Piper flicked the ball backwards, with the ball sailing towards Jackie Welch. In perfect position, the forward out of Winnetka, Ill. headed the ball into the upper 90 to cement the Commodores’ first ranked win of the season over a ranked team.
Down two goals and up a yellow card, the Aggie offense nearly tied the contest with back-to-back shots on goal. However, the Commodore defense was able to limit all other attempts by slowing TAMU attackers. Once their speed was limited, the `Dores were then able to capitalize on offensive breakdowns and hold the Aggies off the board.
With their first SEC home win of the season, the Commodores improved to 6-4-0 overall and 2-1-0 in SEC play. Vanderbilt now owns three victories over TAMU, with their last win against the Aggies coming in 1992.
Just two seasons ago the `Dores fell at home to A&M, 6-2. Under Ambrose the squad nearly defeated the then-fifth ranked team in 2015 (L,1-0), and defeated the 14th-ranked Aggies on Thursday night in front of a packed Commodore crowd.
Vanderbilt looks to build off Thursday night’s victory on Sunday, as the team faces LSU on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm CT.
