No. 1-seed Vanderbilt Soccer Advances to First Elite 8

Vanderbilt soccer beat LSU en route to its first Elite 8 appearance in program history.

Vanderbilt midfielder Maci Teater (23) and Louisiana State University midfielder Gabbi Ceballos (23) chase after the ball down the field during the soccer match between Vanderbilt and LSU at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex in Nashville on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. | NICOLE HESTER / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NASHVILLE – Vanderbilt soccer made history Monday with a 1-0 win over LSU in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

For the third time this season, it was a tightly contested match between the two schools.

Vanderbilt and LSU played a very competitive first half that was spent on LSU’s side of the field for the majority of the first 45 minutes. Vanderbilt got good looks at the net throughout the half, producing 10 shot attempts with half of them being shots on net. LSU came up with just two shot attempts the whole half, one was a shot on goal.

LSU goalie Audur Scheving was on point in the first half, though. Her five saves kept LSU in the game and prevented Vanderbilt from getting and building a lead early in the game.

But with 25 minutes to go, Vanderbilt finally broke the tie. The Commodores had a corner kick that was headed by Grace Freeman over to Melania Fullerton, who struck the ball into the net for the game’s first goal. The goal was Vanderbilt’s 14th shot of the game and the sixth shot on goal.

"I just found myself in a good position, and just put it in the back. That was just a great feeling. And we were anticipating to just score a little bit earlier than that, but just to get that goal, and contribute to the team in any way I can was just a great feeling," Fullerton said.

LSU did not go down without a fight, though. LSU made an offensive push for the final 20 minutes of the game, controlling the ball in Vanderbilt’s end of the field down the stretch. The Tigers also had a penalty kick with 18 minutes remaining, but goalie Sara Wojdelko made a key stop to keep her team in the lead.

“The thing for me is just clearing my mind. Nothing else matters at that moment. Doesn't matter who's on the other side of that ball. It's just about me,” Wojdelko said on stopping LSU’s penalty kick.

Vanderbilt finished the game with 18 shots compared to LSU’s 11 and the Commodores also outshot the Tigers 7-4 in shots on goal. What helped Vanderbilt apply pressure throughout the match was the amount of corner kicks it was able to draw. Vanderbilt finished the game with 13 corners in the game to just two from LSU.

“​​I have not seen a spirit and a dynamic in a team in 34 years of doing this. I've had some great teams. It was a tough game and a well-organized LSU team. Just incredibly proud to represent the University. I'm just so happy for these guys, for this team, for these young women, what they've put into this,” Vanderbilt head coach Darren Amrbose said. “So just just really beyond thrilled, and it is a privilege to be sitting right here with these guys.” 

The win secured Vanderbilt soccer’s first ever Elite 8 appearance in program history. Vanderbilt will host its quarterfinal round matchup at “The Plex” in Nashville against No. 2-seed TCU.