COLUMBIA, S.C. –Freshman Molly Kinsella’s goal with nine seconds left in double overtime lifted Vanderbilt to a 1-0 win over No. 20 South Carolina Sunday afternoon at Stone Stadium.
Kinsella’s goal was hit in the air from 20 yards out and cleared USC goalkeeper Laura Armstrong’s hands and went into the left side of the net to end the match.
The Commodores (4-5-2, 1-1-1) picked up their first Southeastern Conference win of the year and finished up a five-game road swing at 2-2-1. They will now return home where they will play five of their final six regular season contests.
“It is always a thrill to get your first SEC victory, especially on the road against a very tough South Carolina team,” said Vanderbilt head coach Ronnie Coveleskie. “I don’t think there is a more exciting way to win a game than in the closing seconds with the clock ticking down.”
The Gamecocks (9-4, 1-3) went 8-1 in nonconference play but have gone 1-3 since SEC play began last week.
Vanderbilt’s Rachel Bachtel made three saves and recorded her third shutout of the year (the team’s fifth).
Sarah Dennis led VU with three shots, including two on goal. The score by Kinsella was her fourth of the year, tying Dennis for the team lead.
USC held a 14-10 shot advantage in the game, but the Commodores controlled the second overtime with a 4-1 shot lead.
Vanderbilt will take on Georgia and Tennessee next weekend at the VU Soccer Complex. The Commodores will face the Bulldogs on Friday at 7 p.m. and will then take on the Lady Vols on Sunday at 1 p.m. The latter contest will be televised regionally on Fox Sports Net.
“It has been a very long three weeks with 12 of 21 days spent on the road,” added Coveleskie. We are so happy to get home and will try to regain our footing and get ourselves back into the rhythm we had in the preseason. We hope to build on this emotional high and get back to training and prepare for two more top 20 teams this week.”
