May 18, 2016
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt women’s soccer team comes off one of their most successful seasons in recent history, winning nine games, securing six shutouts and their first trip to the SEC tournament in five years.
On Wednesday, the Commodores and head coach Darren Ambrose announced the 2016 schedule, which will open on the road against Miami-Ohio on Aug. 19.
Ambrose and his staff look to build off last seasons’ success as the ‘Dores welcome 10 squads to the Vanderbilt soccer complex this fall. With two exhibitions scheduled and 18 competitions on the 2016-17 slate, VU will face a schedule full of familiar faces and a few new opponents.
With most of the 2016 season’s competitions occurring primarily in the southeast, Commodore fans will have ample opportunity to see the new squad in action.
“I think we have a good balance of challenging games for our young team this fall,” said Ambrose. “Obviously, we want to test ourselves against top teams to prepare us for the gauntlet of the SEC. With a team of essentially 12 newcomers, we need to see a lot of players early on to figure out the best combinations of players in various positions and I think we have a good blend of games to allow us to do that”
Vandy welcomes its first foe in an early August exhibition, as Vanderbilt hosts Southeast Missouri State on the 9th at 7:00 pm CT. The ‘Dores travel east to Furman University in Greenville, S.C. for their final test before kicking off the regular season. While these games do not count toward the overall record, they allow the VU staff the chance to asses the squad’s progress and allows the athletes a chance for competition in an in-game scenario.
The Commodores’ non-conference schedule features home games against Miami-Ohio, crosstown neighbor Lipscomb, Florida State, Jackson State, Murray State, San Francisco and Northern Kentucky. This is the second year in a row that the ‘Dores will kickoff their season against Miami (Ohio).
VU has never played Florida State, Jackson State, San Francisco, or Northern Kentucky. The Seminoles advanced all the way to last season’s NCAA Final Four, with Murray State also making a first round appearance. San Francisco comes off the best season in program history (13-4-3) and NKU advanced to Horizon League semifinals.
“There are a few teams we face this fall that are typically in the top tier of their own conferences like Murray State, Northern Kentucky, and San Francisco. While not necessarily nationally known soccer powers, they are all going to provide a stiff test for us as we continue to evolve the competitive culture of our program.”
Vanderbilt will also face five additional competitors who made appearances in the 2015 NCAA Tournament (seven overall), including the aforementioned Final Four participant and consistent powerhouse, Florida State, and an elite eight team in Texas A&M.
“I am excited to see us face FSU as perennially one of the top teams in the country. I really wanted to give our team a chance to see what our program is aspiring to become and to test ourselves against the best.”
SEC conference action begins on Sept. 9th at Auburn, one of the 11 league games the Commodores will play this season. VU’s first home league competition is Sept. 22nd against the Aggies at 7:00 pm CT. Vanderbilt will also play LSU, Kentucky, South Carolina and Ole Miss at home. The black and gold will cap off the regular season against the Crimson Tide on Oct. 27 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The Commodores will try to finish in the top 10 in the league to make the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Ala. from Oct. 31- Nov. 6.
“Ultimately, we want to be fighting in November in Orange Beach. Last fall opened the eyes of the squad to that experience and I know they are going to be working even harder than they did last year to put themselves back in that position.”
“I love the depth of competition in the SEC. There isn’t a game you can take for granted. That’s what makes it a special place to play.”
