Women’s Soccer Cruises To Exhibition Win Over Jacksonville State, 4-0 8/24/02

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. - It might have taken them a little over 44 minutes to put the first goal on the board, but following junior Erin Higgins’ goal, the Vanderbilt women’s soccer did not look back en route to a 4-0 exhibition victory over Jacksonville State (Ala.) Saturday evening at Moss Wright Soccer Complex.

With the Commodores’ offense in cruise control the majority of the evening, the defense locked it in and allowed only three shots by the Gamecocks’ offense. Of the three shots taken by Jacksonville State, not one was on net.

Higgins got things going for Vanderbilt in the 45th minute of the first half when she lofted a shot over Jacksonville State goalkeeper Amanda Stephens’ head from right outside the goalie box. The goal came off an initial pass from junior Jen Talavera.

The Commodores carried the momentum from the first half into the second, as less than nine minutes into the half Talavera drilled a shot into the near post from around five yards out. Talavera was one of three of Commodores to record three or more shots during the game.

The other two players to record three or more shots were junior Laura Hershenow and sophomore Molly Wilson, who incidentally recorded Vanderbilt’s final two goals. The third goal, which was scored by Hershenow, was to set up by a perfect cross from junior Emily Wilpers which Hershenow pounded in the far corner. The final goal of the night came when Wilson headed the ball in from around five yards out after freshman Lauren Mitchell crossed the ball into the box.

Vanderbilt dominated every aspect of the game, including outshooting Jacksonville State, 21-3, and recording nine more corner kicks (10-1).

The Commodores will hit the road to take on cross-town rival Belmont at 7 p.m. Tuesday night in their final exhibition game before they kick off the season Sunday, September 1 against Saint Louis University at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex.

Scoring
VU: Erin Higgins (Jen Talavera) - 44:15
VU: Talavera (Unassisted) - 53:50
VU: Lauren Hershenow (Emily Wilpers) - 54:20
VU: Molly Wilson (Lauren Mitchell) - 85:00