Nov. 6, 2006
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For the second consecutive year, the Vanderbilt women’s soccer team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as announced on ESPNews Monday afternoon.
The Commodores (10-4-6) will take on host Clemson (11-7-2) on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET at Briggs Field, while UNC-Greensboro (13-7-2) and Oklahoma State (16-3-2) will play in the other game of the four-team bracket at 5 p.m. ET in Clemson, S.C .
“We are absolutely thrilled to be going back to the NCAA tournament for the second straight year,” said Vanderbilt head coach Ronnie Coveleskie. “When we start training in August this is what we train for, an opportunity to be included in the field of the Top 64 teams in the country, all competing for a chance to win the national championship.”
It is the seventh NCAA trip for the Commodores and marks the first time the team has gone to back-to-back tourney’s since five consecutive appearances from 1994-98.
“I am ecstatic for our senior class,” added Hill. “This senior class has helped put Vanderbilt soccer back on the map and now they get to play in two consecutive NCAA tournaments. It serves as a great lesson for our young players that this is what Vanderbilt soccer is all about. Year in and year out we want to be part of the top 64 teams in the tournament.”
This will be the second time the Commodores and Tigers have played in the NCAA postseason. Ironically UNC-Greensboro was also in that tourney field at Clemson in 1998. VU defeated UNCG 5-1 in the first round before falling to Clemson 2-0 in the second round. The Tigers hold a 3-0 all-time series lead over Vanderbilt.
Clemson was one of seven Atlantic Coast Conference teams to make the field. The Tigers finished fifth in conference play in the regular season and lost to perennial power North Carolina in the semifinals of the ACC tournament last week.
“Clemson has had a great season and will be a very difficult opponent,” said Hill. “Todd Bramble is a very good coach and it will be a tough match, at the same time it is NCAA tournament time and anything can happen. We will take it one game at a time and are really thrilled to be a part of the NCAA tournament.”
The team will prepare for the tournament with practices Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. at the VU Soccer Complex. They will then take off for Clemson on Thursday.
