NASHVILLE – This summer, Kaylann Boyd looked herself in the mirror and made a promise: Her junior a season at Vanderbilt was going to be different.
“I told myself, ‘You’re a junior now. You’re going to be a leader. You can do this,'” Boyd said. “I was just determined to work my tail off during the summer, and Coach Ambrose has noticed that.”
An up-and-down career for the Commodores’ junior forward has culminated in a stellar start to 2018. Boyd has now emerged as a key figure within head coach Darren Ambrose’s lineup. Perhaps not coincidentally, Vanderbilt soccer is surging; the 19th-ranked Dores (11-1, 4-0 SEC) currently sit atop the SEC standings on the heels of an 11-game win streak.
On Thursday, Vanderbilt vies for a program-record 12 consecutive wins against No. 25 Mississippi State (7 p.m. CT) at home. To Boyd, her junior season has become a referendum on her personal growth, as well as the Dores’ chemistry amid a return to SEC prominence.
“This season has been a testament to our service to each other and how we treat each other off the field,” Boyd said. “That’s made a huge impact. It’s how we communicate that’s played such a huge role in our success right now. Everyone just feels comfortable doing their part.”
Boyd looked the part of a difference-maker as a Vanderbilt freshman in 2016. She played in all 19 games and scored the game-winning goal in a double-overtime 3-2 win over rival Tennessee that October. But Boyd suffered a concussion in preseason practice ahead of the 2017 season, going on to play in just 12 games.
Today Boyd recalls fighting through a difficult sophomore campaign, both emotionally and physically. “It was tough mentally, getting back into shape and getting my feet back under me,” Boyd said.
But Boyd knew she had to make the most of her junior season. The Commodores would be losing seniors Simone Charley, Lydia Simmons and Cristina De Zeeuw from a 2017 team that reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006. The Dores had to replace that departed leadership, and Boyd felt her time had arrived.
This fall, the junior from Atlanta has been a spark for the Commodores’ resurgence. She ranks second on the team in goals (seven) and points (14) with a pair of game-winning goals. Boyd is also 2-for-2 on penalty kicks. Teamed with redshirt freshman Haley Hopkins (nine goals, 22 points) and superb goalkeeping from Lauren Demarchi (an SEC-leading .929 save percentage), Boyd has helped Vanderbilt outscore opponents 30-6 during its 11-game win streak.
But more importantly, Boyd has answered her own individual challenge, says Ambrose.
“If I could write a script for any kid who’s struggled in any sport in any environment, on what it could look like if you apply yourself and work hard, Kaylann would be the story,” Ambrose said. “She came in with a soccer IQ off the chart, technical ability off the charts. But her commitment and work ethic weren’t there.
“Kaylann had to look at herself and say, ‘What do I want to do with this?’ She decided she was tired of just getting by. She applied herself and is now one of our most impactful players. The small details, she’s taking care of those now, and she’s a different player.”
No. 25 Mississippi State is up next for Boyd and the Commodores, another step in the road to the goal of an SEC Championship. That road includes games against Auburn, South Carolina and Tennessee, all of which have spent time in the top-25. A game-by-game approach is exactly why Boyd and her teammates are not focused on their win streak. Instead, it’s about playing their game, Boyd said.
“Honestly, we don’t talk about it,” Boyd said. “It’s about working our tails off and seeing what we can do each game. Were going to do everything we can win this game, and if it doesn’t come out our way, we move on. We really don’t talk about the streak. We just want to play for each other.”
Zac Ellis is the Writer and Digital Media Editor for Vanderbilt Athletics.
