NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A deflection off the cross bar fell to the feet of Diamond Simpson and her golden goal gave visiting Memphis a 2-1 double overtime victory over the Vanderbilt women’s soccer team Thursday at the VU Soccer Complex.
The game was scoreless past the 80th minute, when a pair of Commodore freshmen linked up to put Vanderbilt on the board. Andie Lakin played a ball over the top to Cheyna Williams, whose run put her in the Memphis box. Running to her left, Williams turned with her right foot and her shot beat Tiger goalkeeper Christa Strickland to the far post.
The Tigers scored an equalizer in the 88th minute. Kylie Davis played a dangerous serve into the six-yard box that was headed down by Taylor Isenhower to the feet of Christabel Oduro. Oduro’s shot bounced past the left post to tie the game at 1-1.
Though the Commodores controlled the first overtime period, outshooting Memphis 4-1, the teams were deadlocked after 100 minutes. A bad bounce would help decide the game in the 102nd mark. Off a corner kick, Kelley Gravlin took a shot from distance that hit the crossbar and bounced across the goal to Diamond Simpson’s feet. Her finish from inside the 6′ finished the game.
It was not the first time that the crossbar had been unkind to the Commodores. With just seconds until halftime, VU freshman Jamie Kator laced a shot from just outside the 18′ that beat UM’s keeper but just deflected off the cross bar and back into the field.
The Commodores will play their final non-conference game of the 2012 season on Sunday, traveling to Bowling Green, Ky., to face Western Kentucky. The game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. CT start.
