March 31, 2018
NASVHILLE–Vanderbilt lacrosse never trailed against Villanova on Saturday afternoon, picking up the team’s second straight conference win with a 15-11 victory over the Wildcats at the VU Soccer/Lacrosse Complex.
Sophomore midfielder Gwyn Devin powered the Commodores (7-4, 2-1 BIG EAST) with a career-high six points against the Wildcats (5-5, 0-3 BIG EAST), notching a hat trick in the first ten minutes of the game as Vandy jumped out to an early 5-2 lead.
Devin, who had never scored more than one point in a collegiate game, finished with four goals and two assists. The Westfield, N.J., native scored on all four of her shots in the game, including a pair of free position goals.
“She was just on today,” Vanderbilt head coach Cathy Swezey said. “She put the right shot on every time. Every time the ball was popped to her, she was ready to fake for a good shooting space call. She was just on her game. That’s the best I’ve seen her play.”
Sophomore attacker Emily Mathewson added four goals and an assist for the Commodores, while junior midfielder Julie Blaze and senior attacker Kayla Peterson pitched in three goals each. Peterson’s hat trick makes her Vanderbilt’s first 40-goal scorer in a single season since 2013, with six regular season games remaining.
Villanova tied the game twice in the second half before the Dores pulled away with the final three goals in the last six minutes of regulation. Mathewson iced the game with Vanderbilt’s third man-up goal of the afternoon, giving the Dores a 15-11 lead with 1:31 to go.
Senior defender Margaret Fee caused three turnovers and collected three ground balls for VU, and junior defender Alex Rasmussen scooped up four ground balls and forced two turnovers. Goalkeeper Grace Bell made four saves, improving her record in the cage to 2-1.
“I thought they were brick walls,” Swezey said about her team’s defense. “The highlight of the game for me is, defensively, we didn’t give them second opportunities. When the ball hit the ground, we came up with it. There have been a lot of games where we gave teams second and third chances, and today we did not. That was awesome.”
The Commodores improved to 2-1 in BIG EAST play and will conclude their three-game homestand with another conference matchup against Cincinnati on Wednesday.
“The whole BIG EAST is strong,” Swezey said. “I think any given day, anyone can get anyone. I’m excited for the next game. I want to see us put the past in the past and move forward and just be thinking BIG EAST right now.”
Vanderbilt hosts the Bearcats Wednesday afternoon at 2 p.m. at the VU Soccer/Lacrosse Complex. Admission is free and the first 200 fans will receive a pair of Vanderbilt Crew Socks.
