As Wednesday's home finale versus ninth-ranked Notre Dame was Vanderbilt's Senior Day, veterans Jess Demorest, Carolyn Gioia, Cara Giordano, Merissa Eide and Natalie Willis were honored in a pre-game ceremony.
However, junior Sarah Downing and sophomore Katherine Denkler stole the show in an 18-11 victory.
Less than 90 seconds into regulation, the New Jersey native connected with the first goal of the contest. Not to be outdone, Denkler struck over a minute later.
Following a score by Domer Kailene Abt, the Commodores compiled a 4-0 run, extending the advantage over the Fighting Irish to 6-1. Freshman Alex Priddy spearheaded the efforts, nailing back-to-back goals with around twenty minutes to play in the opening period.
The two other scores were added by, not surprisingly, Downing and Denkler.
Fighting Irish attacker Jillian Byers interrupted the stretch with her first goal of the contest, outside ten minutes.
Again, Vanderbilt responded with 4-0 run. And, again, Downing and Denkler notched goals. In addition, Giordano and junior Carter Foote entered into the scoring column.
In the final minutes of the opening period, Gina Scioscia of Notre Dame recorded her first score, to cut the Commodore advantage to 10-3 at intermission.
Denkler broke a scoreless second half, for her fourth (and final) goal of the afternoon, inside the twenty-two minute mark.
Over the next six minutes, the Fighting Irish sliced the Vanderbilt lead in half on the heels of a 5-1 sequence. Abt completed a hat trick in the process, drilling a pair of scores.
However, Downing would not relent. As Notre Dame traded goals with the Commodores in the subsequent minutes, the junior added three more scores, to pace all scorers with six. Her last extended the difference to seven, 17-10, in favor of Vanderbilt.
The 12th-ranked Commodores close out the regular season in Ithaca, New York, for a date at Cornell next Tuesday.
On April 30, Vanderbilt travels to University Park, Penn. for the American Lacrosse Conference tournament.
