Can Surging Vandy Keep Northwestern Down?
by Steven Russolillo | Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online
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Ally Carey's breakout season as a sophomore is a big reason Vanderbilt has won 10 straight games en route to a No. 8 national ranking. © John Russell |
Vanderbilt proudly boasts a 10-game winning streak, has
reclaimed a top-10 ranking and shares the lead atop the American
Lacrosse Conference. But after a sluggish start to the season, few
seem to have noticed the Commodores' recent ascent.
And that’s exactly how they ike it.
“We always fly under the radar, and we are perfectly happy
being there,” said 13th-year head coach Cathy Swezey, who has
led her team to double-digit victories in each of the last seven
seasons. “It has been that way for years, even though we have
consistently been in or near the top 10. If our team is going to
perform when it counts, that is all that matters, and maybe flying
under the radar helps us.”
Part of the reason Vanderbilt (11-3, 4-0 ALC) keeps a relatively
low profile is because it shares a conference with powerhouse
Northwestern (12-1, 3-0), the five-time NCAA champion that only
Sunday had its 40-game winning streak dating back to 2008 snapped.
(North Carolina defeated the Wildcats, 18-16, to overtake the No. 1
spot in this week's IWLCA Division I poll.)
No. 8 Vanderbilt also raised some eyebrows in the beginning of the
season when it lost three of its first four games, including
defeats to Duke and at North Carolina and Stanford. The losses
weren’t pretty either: Vanderbilt was defeated by a combined
45-25 margin. The Commodores almost fell out of the top 20, but a
signature win against Boston University (then No. 9) helped get
them back on track.
Vanderbilt hasn’t lost since, enjoying a 10-game winning
streak over the last five weeks, including Sunday's 12-7 victory
over Florida.
“We are most excited about our consistency since March
10,” said Swezey, referring to VU's 17-8 victory against
Longwood which spearheaded the winning streak. “Our team had
to claw their way back into the rankings. We have gone from being a
lower-ranked squad against several top-ranked opponents, to a team
that has a target on their back.”
Four players have scored at least 30 goals this season, with
senior All-American and Vanderbilt’s all-time leading scorer
Sarah Downing leading the way with 33 goals and 24 assists.
Sophomore sensation Ally Carey has enjoyed a breakout year,
registering 30 goals and 17 assists, and junior Katherine Denkler
has 31 goals and 12 assists.
Vanderbilt faces a tough travel portion of its schedule as it
closes the regular season. The Commodores' highly-anticipated
season finale at Northwestern on Saturday will be their third
straight on the road.
Some Vanderbilt supporters may look at the schedule and cringe at
all the traveling the Commodores have to do to close the season,
but don’t look for Swezey to make any excuses.
“I find that travel is only going to be as hard as you make
it,” she said. “When you are located where we are
(Nashvill, Tenn.), travel is just part of the picture. We take the
games we can get and we don't complain about what we have to do to
play them.”
The season finale Friday against Northwestern is the game everyone
has circled on their calendars. Will Vanderbilt finally get that
upset against one of lacrosse’s elite? Will the Commodores
play justify their top-10 ranking? What impact will this game have
on the ALC conference tournament come early May?
All are valid questions, as until now, Swezey and company have
enjoyed being the hunted, rather than the hunters.
