#14 Vanderbilt Downs Women's Lacrosse, 15-5, in Non-League Play

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Cara Giordano had four goals and Carter Foote added three in leading Vanderbilt to a 15-5 non-league victory over UAlbany on Sunday,, April 13 at John Fallon Field. The Commodores, who are ranked No. 14 nationally in the IWLCA poll and No. 15 by Inside Lacrosse, have won five of their last six outings.

Vanderbilt (10-4) broke a 1-1 deadlock with six consecutive goals over the final 11 minutes of the opening half. Foote, a sophomore midfielder, converted Margie Curran’s pass from behind the cage to put her team ahead. Giordano and Foote each scored a pair during a four-minute stretch of the period. Giordano spun in the middle of the zone and sent a shot high into the net. The Commodores took a 6-1 lead when Foote netted a blast from left of the crease after collecting a underhanded pass from Emily Franke. Ashley Paschall, who had two goals and one assist, scored from the top of the crease with 23.3 seconds left before the break.

The Commondores, who compete in the American Lacrosse Conference, still led 8-2 early in the second half, after UAlbany’s Taylor Frink spun in the middle and placed a shot into the right side of the net. Vanderbilt would find the cage three straight times over the next eight minutes. Giordano connected from right of crease off Laura Keenan’s feed, before Sarah Downing scored back-to-back goals. Downing drove around a defender from the right side, before nailing a bounce shot from the top of the crease.

UAlbany (8-6) scored twice in the late stages. Kayla Best won a draw control and drove to the crease area in netting her 38th of the season with 4:50 to play. Christine Grueniger sent a free-position opportunity into the lower right corner two minutes later. Goalkeeper Katie Neer made six saves for the Great Danes, who were meeting their fourth national top-15 team this season.

Allie Frank, a sophomore attack, finished with two goals and one assist for the Commodores, who made their third NCAA appearance over the last six years in 2007. Curran, the school’s all-time scorer with 224 career points, added one goal and handed out two assists.

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#14 Vanderbilt 15, UAlbany 5

Vanderbilt – Scoring: Cara Giordano 4-1, Carter Foote 3-0, Ashley Pachchall 2-1, Allie Frank 2-1, Sarah Downing 2-0, Margie Curran 1-2, Meghan Rose 1-0, Leslie Koch 0-1, Katherine Denkler 0-1, Emily Frank 0-1, Laura Keenan 0-1; Goalkeeper(s); Brooke Shinaberry (60:00, 7 saves, 5 GA).

UAlbany – Scoring: Christine Grueniger 1-0, Kayla Best 1-0, Jodi Battaglia 1-0, Taylor Frink 1-0, Mel Rorie 1-0; Goalkeeper(s): Katie Neer (60:00, 6 saves, 15 GA