LSU soccer started SEC play on a positive note with a 2-1 road win against Vanderbilt.
The Tigers were resilient on the road. Scoring early in the 13th minute on a corner kick. The ball was whipped into the back post and Shannon Cooke settled it, before chipping it back across to find Lindsi Jennings. Jennings headed it home to give the Tigers the lead.
Vanderbilt had only conceded one goal all season coming into this game, so scoring early helped give LSU a boost of confidence that the Commodores could be beaten.
Vanderbilt was up for the challenge of finding an equalizer though. Peyton Cutshall leveled the game in the 39th minute. Outside of the box and moving away from the goal, Cutshall hammered the ball over LSU goalkeeper Mollee Swift and the Commodores were level.
Going into halftime, it was looking like this could be a back and forth affair. Vanderbilt was defensively solid, but LSU had shown they could find the back of the net.
At the start of the second half, Ida Hermannsdottir did just that. LSU won a free kick near the edge of the box which was in perfect shooting position. Hermannsdottir stepped up and whipped the ball over the Vanderbilt wall and into the back of the net. With 57 minutes gone, LSU was back on top.
The rest of the game was a defensive struggle for the Tigers. Vanderbilt continued to press for an equalizer, but they found nothing. The game ended 2-1 for LSU.
“Really pleased to start SEC play with a win,” LSU Head Coach Sian Hudson said. “Any time you get three points on the road in the SEC is a good thing. The players adjusted well to what we asked and seeing them respond well after last week’s defeat this week was great as well.”
Opening SEC play with a win is very important. The road only gets tougher for the Tigers from here. LSU opens with much of the same level of opposition, but as SEC play continues, they will meet the likes of Auburn, Arkansas and Ole Miss. All are ranked opposition which will require the team to be at the top of their game.
First year players Hermannsdottir and Angelina Thoreson continue to be on top of their game. Hermannsdottir leads the team in scoring and Thoreson leads the team in assists. The two internationals are finally starting to see more time on the field and continue to produce good results.
LSU will now gear up for a home matchup against Missouri on Thursday Sept., 22.
