VIDEO: WKU soccer drops 1-0 match to Vandy

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU nearly pulled even on several occasions throughout the
second half, but an early goal in the seventh minute from Vanderbilt gave the
visitors a 1-0 victory at the WKU Soccer Complex on Friday evening.

Much like last season’s 1-0 decision against LSU, the Lady Toppers could not quite
capitalize on opportunities to equalize over the final 45 minutes following Olivia
Simmons’ match-winner. Aleksandra Kozovic generated the best chance of the night for
WKU off a free kick in the 56th minute, lining up the chance from 30 yards out and
firing directly on goal, but the chance struck the center of the crossbar and
cleared the goal to end the threat.

Kozovic led all players with three shots on the night, and both Sarah Gorham and
Chandler Backes had one chance apiece, with Gorham notching WKU’s lone shot on goal.
For Vanderbilt, Simmons, Grace Jackson and Hannon Eberts each had one shot on goal.

In goal, Allison Leone made one save in each half to keep the Lady Toppers within
one goal and played the full 90 minutes for the fifth time in six matches this
season. Kaitlyn Fahrner also played the full 90 minutes for the Commodores and made
one save to earn the shutout victory.

Vanderbilt jumped ahead just over six minutes into the match, taking a 1-0 lead on
Simmons’ shot just in front of the goal. Set up by Madison Elwell’s corner kick, the
ball bounced around inside the box as WKU’s defenders attempted to clear away the
threat. The Commodores’ Rebecca Rossett settled the ball and Simmons fired her
chance past Leone to force WKU into an early hole in the match.

WKU had its first threat of the evening beginning in the 16th minute. As the offense
brought the ball up the field, Kozovic had a long shot blocked over the line by a
defender, setting up a corner kick opportunity from the right side for the Lady
Toppers. Another corner kick would follow two minutes later, but WKU could not put a
shot on goal off the set piece chances.

Gorham gave the Lady Toppers their best scoring chance of the half in the 26th
minute as she broke free and found herself in space. The redshirt junior tested
Fahrner with a hard shot, but the goalkeeper dove to her left and parried away the
chance; WKU had another corner kick created by the try but again could not
capitalize.

Leone kept WKU within striking distance just before the halftime break as she denied
Vanderbilt’s Eberts on a strong shot inside the box, sending the Lady Toppers into
the locker room facing just a one-goal deficit.

In the second half, Kozovic’s aforementioned free kick produced the best scoring
opportunity for the Lady Toppers, and a Backes header in the final minute of play
sailed just over the bar as WKU applied strong pressure while seeking a late
equalizer.