Vanderbilt Soccer – Commodores Stay Unbeaten

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Graduate quarterback Diego Pavia delivered a record-setting efficiency, junior wideout Junior Sherrill completed with a career-best three receiving touchdowns and No. 18/20 Vanderbilt soccer remained unbeaten, downing Utah State 55-35 at FirstBank Stadium on Saturday.

Pavia set career-high marks in passing touchdowns with 5 and completions with 26. He additionally threw for 321 complete yards, his most as a Commodore and the second-highest complete of his profession. Pavia ties Johnny McCrary, Jay Cutler and Bill Wade at Vanderbilt for essentially the most passing touchdowns in a sport and strikes to No. 6 on the all-time passing touchdowns record with 33. His second quarter landing run made Saturday the seventh time in his Vandy profession the quarterback completed a sport with each a speeding and passing rating. In complete, Pavia completed with precisely 400 complete yards of offense, essentially the most since Kyle Shurmur generated 405 in opposition to Tennessee in 2016. Sherrill’s three touchdowns, all of which got here within the first half, mark essentially the most receiving scores in a half for a Commodore since Earl Bennett caught 4 within the second half in opposition to Kentucky in 2005. In complete, Sherrill completed with six catches for 91 yards, each of that are additionally profession highs.

The Commodores transfer to 5-0, matching 2008’s 5-0 begin. Vanderbilt’s eighth-ranked scoring offense has scored 50 or extra factors in consecutive video games for the primary time since 1915. The black and gold have manufactured 40 factors or extra in 4 video games up to now, the primary time doing so in a season since 2012. With 245 factors scored, Vanderbilt is ninth all-time in complete factors by an SEC staff by its first 5 video games.

Utah State (3-2) struck first with an 18-yard throw and catch from Bryson Barnes to Miles Davis. Vanderbilt (5-0) responded on its subsequent drive as Pavia discovered Sherrill from 21 yards out, night the rating at 7-7 to shut the primary quarter. The Commodores proceeded to attain on their subsequent seven drives within the sport, capped off by Pavia’s record-tying fifth passing landing on a 53-yard strike to graduate Richie Hoskins. The play gave Vandy a 48-21 lead with 1:19 remaining within the third. Junior Makhilyn Young notched the final Commodore rating on a 15-yard scamper with 5:21 left in sport; he now has 4 speeding touchdowns for Vanderbilt this season. Junior kicker Brock Taylor drilled two subject objectives within the contest, extending his present streak to 16 subject objectives made. He entered Saturday tied for the fourth-longest lively streak of consecutive subject objectives made throughout FBS kickers.

The Commodore protection once more used a lockdown second half to shut out the sport, permitting simply 14 factors to the Aggies throughout the ultimate half-hour. Graduate Kolbey Taylor’s fumble restoration to begin the fourth quarter is the seventh-straight sport Vandy has pressured a turnover. Graduate Marlen Sewell led the black and gold with a season-high seven tackles, his most since totaling 9 in opposition to Kentucky in 2023. Three separate Commodores – Graduate Miles Capers, Graduate Khordae Sydnor and Senior Linus Zunk – recorded a number of tackles for a loss; as a staff, the Dores totaled eight all through the competition. Vandy owns a 120-29 level benefit within the second half by 5 video games.

Vanderbilt will journey to Tuscaloosa subsequent Saturday eyeing a second straight win in opposition to No. 17/16 Alabama. The sport is ready for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff from Bryant-Denny Stadium with protection on ABC or ESPN.

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