Nashville Bound: Soccer Takes On Vanderbilt Friday, Oct. 13

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri soccer hits the road, heading for Nashville to take on Vanderbilt on Friday, Oct. 13. The game will kick off at 7 p.m. CT and can be streamed on SEC Network+. 

The match serves at the 14th game of the season for Mizzou (5-5-3) as it continues to push for a postseason spot in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. The Tigers are just three points back in the standings from Ole Miss, with four games left, who currently occupy the final spot.  

LAST TIME OUT

• Missouri played to a 1-1 draw against No. 13 South Carolina at home on Sunday, Oct. 8. 
• The game was tied at zero at halftime before the Gamecocks scored in the 62nd minute to take the lead off an unlucky deflection in front of the net. 
• The Tigers retaliated in the 77th minute, as sophomore Scarlett Thomas found the back of the net from a corner kick for her first career goal. Junior Milena Fischer served the corner into the box as the Carolina keeper punched the ball away. The ball went straight to Thomas, who buried the shot as the goalkeeper was still on the ground. 
• The game remained tied until the end as redshirt sophomore Bella Hollenbach totaled six saves, half (3) of which came in the second half.  

THOMAS’ TIME TO SHINE

• Sophomore Scarlett Thomas left her mark on the season, earning her first career minutes in the Ole Miss game on Oct. 5 before making her first start against No. 13 South Carolina on Sunday, Oct. 8. 
• Against the Gamecocks, Thomas scored her first career goal, helping Mizzou to earn the tie and a valuable point against a nationally-ranked opponent. 

BULLSEYE

• Sophomore Kylee Simmons currently ranks sixth in the country in shot accuracy with 10 goals on 37 shot attempts. 
• Furthermore, of the 37 shot attempts, Simmons has had 25 on goal and registered a season-high four shots on goal at Creighton on Aug. 8. 
• Moreover, the sophomore leads the SEC in points (22), points per game (1.69), goals (10) and goals per game (.77).

ALL-TIME SERIES: VANDERBILT

• Missouri is 6-5-2 against Vanderbilt all-time, with the first match dating back to Sept. 8, 2008. 
• Additionally, the Tigers are 1-3-1 in Nashville, dropping the last two contests versus the Commodores and going 1-5 in the previous six games against the conference foe. 

SCOUTING THE COMMODORES

• Vanderbilt is currently 7-4-3 and is coming off a 2-0 loss to No. 18 Kentucky. 
• Junior forward Rachel Deresky leads the Commodores with 16 points (six goals, four assists) and totals three players with double-digit points this season. 
• In net, Kate Devine has started 13 games for Vanderbilt and has earned seven wins with a 1.20 goals against average and .727 save percentage. 

TOP TIGERS

• GOALS: Kylee Simmons (10)

• ASSISTS: FIVE PLAYERS TIED (2)

• POINTS: Kylee Simmons (22)

• SAVES: Bella Hollenbach (34)

UP NEXT

Mizzou returns to Columbia ahead of Homecoming weekend against Tennessee on Thursday, Oct. 19, at 6 p.m. CT. Following the clash with the Volunteers, the Tigers will take their final regular season trip to No. 17 Kentucky on Sunday, Oct. 22. The contest with the Wildcats will kick off at noon CT inside the Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex.