GREENVILLE, N.C. – Vanderbilt secured its first conference win of the season on the road against East Carolina, 14-10, on Sunday morning at Johnson Stadium.
Playing in their first conference game as members of the American Athletic Conference, the Commodores (9-2, 1-0) were able to start off on the right foot.
The Commodores took a 1-0 lead to begin the game, but the Pirates answered with a 3-0 run to make it 3-1 Vanderbilt. Melanie Becker helped spark the 3-0 Commodore run with three straight draw controls that led to three straight goals for the Commodores, who retook the lead.
Gwyn Devin, Gabby Fornia and Sophie Furlong all scored during that stretch.
“I think it was just a little bit of us getting our game going and on the right page,” head coach Beth Hewitt said. “We were a little bit off to start the game, but we just needed to be able to get our attackers involved and settle in the game a little bit.”
From there, both teams traded goals to make it 6-6 before the Commodores rattled off a 3-0 run to close the half and take a 9-6 lead. Becker scored two of those three goals with Maddie Souza adding the final one with nine seconds remaining in the half.
Becker finished the game with a career-high seven draw controls, two goals, one assist and one caused turnover.
Fornia and Furlong finished the game with hat tricks as they scored three goals apiece. Devin also had a multi-goal performance while Julie Blaze, Elizabeth Scarrone and Callie Sundin added one goal each in the contest.
Fornia recorded two assists to improve her team-high total to 27.
Lily Argyle started in goal for the Commodores and recorded nine saves to improve to 7-2.
“I think it was a great road win for us,” Hewitt said. “Anytime you go into an opponent’s place, it’s always a little bit harder to play. I thought our girls did a really nice job not having our best start but turning it around.”
Up next, Vanderbilt stays on the road to face No. 18 Florida on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT. Saturday’s game will be broadcast on YouTube.com/FloridaGators.
