May 24, 2018
2018 VANDERBILT SOCCER SCHEDULE
Vanderbilt soccer announced its 2018 season schedule on Thursday, featuring 11 home matches, the second annual Music City Invitational and eight games against 2017 NCAA Tournament teams.
After a pair of exhibition matches, Vanderbilt opens the regular season on the road against perennial power Florida State on Thursday, August 16 in Tallahassee. It will be the second-ever meeting between the Commodores and the Seminoles, who reached the NCAA Sweet 16 as a four-seed last season.
The Dores return to Nashville the following weekend for their home opener and the second annual Music City Invitational. Vanderbilt, Miami (Fla.), Ohio University and Lipscomb will participate in the four-team tournament, featuring two doubleheaders on Friday, August 24 and Sunday, August 26 at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex. The Commodores face Miami in Vandy’s home opener on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. and Ohio on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
The Commodores begin Southeastern Conference play on Sunday, September 16 at Florida, and host their first of five SEC home matches on Thursday, September 20 against Alabama at 7:00 p.m.
The SEC led the nation with nine NCAA Tournament bids in 2017, including Vanderbilt’s first appearance in the tournament since 2006. The Commodores will face seven of those postseason teams in conference play, including a home matchup with national semifinalist South Carolina on Friday, October 12 at 7:00 p.m.
The Commodores are coming off an historic season and postseason run in 2017, posting a record of 13-7-2 (6-3-1 SEC). Vanderbilt finished fourth in the SEC standings, made the SEC Tournament semifinals, reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006 and won an NCAA Tournament match for the first time since 1998 with a 2-1 win over four-seed Ohio State on November 10.
