NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt soccer team fell 2-1 in overtime to the No. 2 South Carolina Gamecocks Thursday night. At home and in front of a rowdy Vandy crowd, the Commodores’ Sydney O’Donnell generated the equalizer with two seconds on the board to send VU to its sixth overtime contest of the season.
While South Carolina controlled the first few seconds of Thursday night’s tilt, netting a goal in the 48th second, the Commodores took charge in the final few ticks of the clock.
Against the Gamecocks, Vanderbilt again found itself having a hard time settling down in the opening minutes of play. Following a blocked shot, the Gamecocks set up for a corner in VU territory. SC’s Chelsea Drennan lofted in a corer kick, which found defender Paige Bendell. The Gamecock headed the ball past freshman goalkeeper Lauren Demarchi and into the back right corner of the net for the advantage.
Following the goal the Commodores, who started five freshmen, began to settle their pace and connect passes which created several crosses in the final third. While SC led Vandy 5-1 in shots at the end of the first half, the Commodore defense limited leading scorer Savannah McCaskill and the Gamecock’s offensive supporting cast.
With 45 minutes remaining, VU came out of the locker room with a vengeance. The `Dores immediately pressured SC’s defense, catching the Gamecocks off guard and forcing the second-ranked team to reorganize their backline. VU’s offensive surges were just enough to keep the squad physically and mentally locked in all 90 minutes.
With four seconds remaining in regulation Kaylann Boyd fired off a shot, which was blocked by the Gamecocks’ freshman goalkeeper Mikayla Krzeczowski. With the ball perfectly blocked down and in front of the goal, Sydney O’Donnell sent the game to overtime hammering the ball into the back of the net on one touch. The goal was only the seventh allowed by SC this season.
Both squads had chances in OT as VU opened the 10-minute segment with an opportunity in South Carolina territory. However, in the 96th minute the Gamecocks solidified the win off a missed tackle, as the ball fell to Daija Griffin. The SC forward placed the ball to the right of freshman Commodore goalkeeper Lauren Demarchi.
Despite the loss, Vanderbilt sealed the team’s second straight trip to the SEC Tournament under head coach Darren Ambrose with LSU’s loss to Auburn. VU will honor its senior class Sunday with Senior Day festivities beginning at 12:45 p.m.
