Vanderbilt soccer coach Darren Ambrose had a simple message for his team before a penalty kick shootout against LSU in the SEC Tournament final at Ashton Brosnaham Park in Pensacola.
His goalie, Sarah Wojdelko, had been in this situation before. Last year she helped Vanderbilt stun then defending national champion Florida State in the NCAA tournament to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.
He knew Wojdelko could deliver again.
“We said before we hit PKS we got Wojo, they don’t,” Ambrose said. “And that was all we needed.”
Wojdelko proved Ambrose right, making three saves in a 10-round shootout, the last of which gave the Commodores their first SEC Tournament title since 2020 and fourth overall.
“It was incredible,” Wojdelko said. “The relief, when I got the ball in my hands, huh, I’ll never forget it.”
Wojdelko is a ball of energy in shootouts before its time to get serious. She does jumping jacks from side-to-side, claps and shouts to fire up her teammates and maybe intimidate the opponent.
Then a couple more taps from side to side before it’s time to lock in and get ready for the next one.
A mindset she needed on a day where Vanderbilt trailed not only in regulation but in the shootout as well.
The Commodores (15-3-2 overall) went first in the shootout and trailed 3-2 when LSU’s Gadeo Blanco Gonzalez went to the line with a chance to win the tournament. Wojdelko stonewalled that shot. Then after Vandy’s Sydney Watts tied the shootout, she turned away Morgan Witz.
The two sides traded goals for the next four rounds before Mary Beth McLaughlin put Vanderbilt in front 8-7. Wojdelko followed by guessing right against Jazmin Ferguson, diving to her right to make the final save.
“Every single PK is a new PK to me,” Wojdelko said. “It doesn’t matter if this one will end it. Every single PK’s a chance that I can put my team to the next level. That’s what I’m thinking.”
LSU (13-5-4) struck first in the 26th off a corner kick when Gabbi Ceballos headed in a service from Ida Hermansdottir.
The Tigers stayed in front until the 70th minute when Vanderbilt’s Vivian Akyirem tied the game by following up a free kick. LSU goalie Audur Scheving made a play on the initial service, leading the net wide open for Akyirem to tie the game.
The Tigers outshot the Commodores 14-10 and couldn’t finish key chances in the final minutes. One minute after Akyirem tied the game, Wojdelko denied Sariyah Bailey’s point-blank shot. Wojdelko also saved two LSU shots in the first overtime period.
The Tigers are still in position to make their fifth straight NCAA Tournament, which would extend the longest streak in program history. The NCAA tournament selection show will be Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. CT.
“All credit to Vandy,” LSU coach Sian Hudson said. “They fought from behind but I think we created the best chances in the game to go on and win it but we didn’t capitalize on those chances today.”
Vanderbilt is looking at a top-16 seed, which means first and second round home games. The Commodores, who couldn’t connect on passes and never got into a real flow in the run of play, grinded out 110 minutes and then a shootout before leaving the Florida panhandle with a trophy.
“They needed to be reminded that not everything is a pure soccer game and sometimes you gotta gut it out,” Ambrose said. “And they show that they can do that as well.”
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Vanderbilt women’s soccer edges LSU on PKs, wins first SEC Tournament title since 2020
Reporting by Justin Fitzgerald, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
