NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Mizzou soccer team fought back from a 3-1 halftime deficit but the comeback fell short as Vanderbilt recorded a 5-3 win Friday night in Nashville, Tennessee. The Tigers fell to 5-7-1 overall and 1-3 in Southeastern Conference action with the loss, while the Commodores improved to 8-3-1 and 3-0-1.
TURNING POINT
After Mizzou scored two goals within three minutes to knot the score at 3-3 early in the second half, Vanderbilt responded with the eventual game-winner in the 67th minute and added an insurance goal in the 81
st minute to seal the victory for the home squad.
KEY MOMENTS
Redshirt sophomore
Madison Lewis (Zionsville, Indiana) gave the Tigers an early 1-0 in the 11th minute when she slid a 21-yard free kick under the Commodore keeper for her fourth goal of the year.
Vanderbilt responded with three goals in the 24th, 31st and 39th minutes to take a 3-1 advantage into the break.
Mizzou came out in the second half with renewed fire. Senior Jessica Johnson (Los Angeles, California) pulled the Tigers within one, 3-2, when she beat two defenders to score her fourth tally of the season in the 56th minute. Just over two minutes later, sophomore Sarah Luebbert (Jefferson City, Missouri) tied the game a 3-3 when she gathered her own rebound and knocked the ball into the net for her second goal of the season.
QUOTABLES
Mizzou Head Coach Bryan Blitz
"I'm proud of the way our team fought from halftime to come back from 3-1 to 3-3. I learned today that there's no quit in our team. I want to say congratulations to a good Vanderbilt team."
MIZZOU NOTES
- Senior Jessica Johnson and redshirt sophomore Madison Lewis each tallied their fourth goals of the year
- Lewis now ranks second on the team with 10 points on four goals and two assists
- Johnson's eight points tie her for third on the squad in 2017
- Sophomore Sarah Luebbert scored her second goal of the year and is now tied with Johnson for third on the squad with eight points (two goals, four assists)
- Senior Kaitlyn Clark notched her third assist of the season
- All five of Clarks points (on one goal and three assists) have come over the last five games
UP NEXT
The Tigers travel to Gainesville, Florida, on Thursday, Oct. 5 to face No. 10 Florida at 5 p.m. CT.