March 1, 2008

Box Score

NASHVILLE - Cara Giordano's goal with 9:03 remaining in regulation put #12 Vanderbilt ahead for good as the Commodores held off Duquesne for a 12-10.

Kathleen McNish led the Dukes with five points (2g, 3a) and Ashley Wood recorded a hat trick for Duquesne who fell to 0-5 on the season.

Duquesne got out to an early 4-2 lead behind goals from Wood, Sarah Carson, Shannon Hadaway and Meghan Frederick. Vandy would tie the score three minutes later on goals from Sarah Downing and Giordano.

The Dukes would lead two more times, but the Commodores always had an immediate answer for each DU goal as the teams' went into halftime tied at 7-7.

McNish, Wood and Sarah Cates would score three of the fist four goals of the second half to give Duquesne a 9-7 advantage with 22:25 remaining.

Downing and Giordano would strike again as Vanderbilt tied the game at 9-9 before Ashley Paschell have the Commodores a 10-9 lead with 14:32 left.

Cates' second goal of the match tied the score at 10-10 with less than 12 minutes remaining, but that would be the Dukes' final score of the afternoon. Downing and Giordano each found the back of the net one more time to give Vandy the 12-10 victory.

This was the third ranked opponent DU has faced this season and after the Dukes' match at Robert Morris Wednesday, Duquesne will visit three-time NCAA defending champion No. 1 Northwestern on Mar. 7.