| at Western Kentucky (2-0-0) | vs. No. 5 Duke (2-0-0) |
|---|---|
| Thursday, Aug. 26 • 7 p.m. | Sunday, Aug. 29 • 2 p.m. |
| Bowling Green, Kentucky | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Watch: Facebook | Watch: SEC Network + |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| Game Notes | Game Notes |
At a Glance
- Vanderbilt soccer team will take on Western Kentucky on the road at 7 p.m. Thursday before returning to Nashville to host Duke at 2 p.m. Sunday.
- The Commodores are 1-0-1 with a win over Tennessee Tech and a draw versus Purdue on their 2021 resume.
- The Dores are 5-0-0 in the five all-time meetings with Western Kentucky. Thursday’s matchup will be the first between the two sides since a 2-0 Vanderbilt victory in 2018.
- Vanderbilt is 3-5-1 in the all-time series versus Duke including a 0-0 draw last season.
Floor Relief during Duke Game
- Vanderbilt Athletics is providing a donation site at Sunday’s soccer match to help those impacted by the recent flooding in Tennessee.
- The donation site will be open from 1-4 p.m. and will be located at the Vanderbilt Soccer/Lacrosse Complex. Items needed include baby items (diapers of all sizes, pull-ups), basic hygiene items (shampoo, soap, toilet paper, toothbrushes, etc.), cleaning products (spray, bleach, paper towels) and non-perishable food. Used items cannot be accepted. All donations will be provided to the Nashville Community Resource Center.
Game Promotions for Duke Game
- Half off candy at concession stand for first 30 minutes after gates open
- Kids Day
- Arrive early for free ice cream & toppings bar.
- Inflatables, balloon artist, sidewalk chalk, poster making station, coloring contest.
Last Time Out
- Peyton Cutshall’s 90th-minute equalizer helped Vandy earn a 1-1 draw with Purdue on Aug. 22.
- Goalkeeper Kate Devine made three saves, including one from point-blank range in double overtime.
- The Commodores held a 19-9 edge on shots.
Rankings
- The Commodores are ranked No. 17 in the most recent Top Drawer Soccer poll and receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll.
- Duke is ranked fifth in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll and sixth in the most recent Top Drawer Soccer poll.
- Vandy went 4-2-1 versus top 25 opponents last season.
Preseason Honors
- Vanderbilt was picked fourth in the SEC Preseason Poll – voted on by the conference’s 14 head coaches.
- Abi Brighton, Maddie Elwell, Madiya Harriott, Raegan Kelley and Ella Shamburger were named to the SEC Soccer Preseason Watch List.
The Squad
- Among Vanderbilt’s returners, 12 played in at least 12 games a season ago.
- Among the returners are All-SEC performers Maddie Elwell and Ella Shamburger.
- Now a sophomore, Abi Brighton secured SEC All-Freshman Team accolades a season ago.
- The leading scorer among the returners is senior Raegan Kelley with five a season ago. The Atlanta, Georgia, native scored three goals in the 2020 SEC Tournament, including one in the championship game versus Arkansas.
The Schedule
- The 2021 fall schedule includes 18 regular season games.
- A total of 10 regular season games will be played at home in Nashville.
- The Commodores have eight nonconference games before the gauntlet that is the SEC portion of their schedule.
Head Coach Darren Ambrose
- Now in his seventh season leading Vanderbilt soccer, Darren Ambrose has guided one of the best runs in program history.
- The Dores have amassed a 71-39-12 record and 33-20-7 SEC mark during his tenure.
- Fourteen of those wins are over ranked opponents, meaning Ambrose has guided the program to 14 of its 22 wins over ranked teams.
- To date, Vanderbilt has four consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament, an SEC regular season championship (2018), a tournament championship (2020) and an SEC East Division championship (2019) under his leadership.
Up Next
- Vandy has two home games at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex next week.
- The Dores host Southern Illinois at 7 p.m. Sept. 2 and Pepperdine at 1 p.m. Sept. 5.
