Soccer loses overtime heartbreaker to Vanderbilt

FAYETTEVILLE – Christina Burger game the University of Arkansas Lady Razorback soccer team a one-goal lead, but it was not enough as Arkansas’ seven-match winning streak was stopped by the Vanderbilt Commodores on Sunday afternoon at Lady’Back Field in double overtime, 2-1.

Arkansas’ loss drops it to 7-2-0 on the year and 0-1-0 in Southeastern Conference play while Vanderbilt improves to 5-1-5 overall and 1-0-1 in SEC action.

“I thought that in the first half we outplayed them,” Arkansas head coach Gordon Henderson said. “Vanderbilt is one of the best teams in the country. I think that Vanderbilt knows that they were able to escape here with a win today. We had numerous opportunities in the first half, but they were just barely able to get a toe on the ball and knock it wide. I thought that as a team we were magnificent today.”

The Lady Razorbacks wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, scoring the game’s first goal in the 26th minute. An Arkansas attack was thwarted by the Vanderbilt defense, but their clear was corralled by Burger who took a touch and rifled a shot from the top of the 18 to the upper far corner of the net to give the Lady Razorbacks a 1-0 lead.

Burger’s goal is her sixth of the season and moves her into fourth by herself on Arkansas’ all-time goals scored list passing former Lady’Back Brittany Burns. Arkansas’ goal is also the eighth consecutive game in which they have scored first.

Arkansas’ domination of the tempo in the first half meant little to Vanderbilt in the second as the Commodores came out firing. Vanderbilt played much of the half on Arkansas’ end of the field leading to a decisive 15-2 shot differential in the second 45 minutes of play. Despite the Vanderbilt efforts however, Arkansas and senior goalkeeper Carrie Dillsaver was able to keep the match 1-0 thanks to several brilliant saves and shots from well outside the 18-yard box.

Vanderbilt changed that in the 77th minute when Lea Lafied connected on a 14-yard strike from the right side that Dillsaver was able to get a hand on, but not deflect outside the net. The strike ended a streak of more than 350 minutes in which Arkansas has kept their opponents from scoring dating back to their match with Louisiana Tech on Sept. 8.

Both teams looked tired but ready as the first overtime began with Arkansas getting the only real scoring opportunities. The Lady’Backs managed three shots in the 10 minute period, holding Vanderbilt to none.

Entering the second overtime, Vanderbilt wasted little time before ending the match. Earning a corner kick less than a minute into the period, the Commodores Lafield took the cross and placed a long ball to the far post where Monica Buff was waiting. Buff was able to get a foot on the ball and send it toward goal which then hit Dillsaver and defender Sarah Gwisdala, but the pair was unable from keeping the shot from crossing the goal line.

The Lady Razorbacks are back in action next Friday night when they take on the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss. For more information about Lady Razorback soccer or about Arkansas women’s athletics, please go to LADYBACKS.COM.