SMU 3, No. 5 Vanderbilt 4 Vanderbilt Soccer Complex, Nashville, TN. August 12, 2026 Fifth-ranked Vanderbilt held off a determined SMU squad in a wild season opener, winning 4- 3 in front of 622 fans and giving head coach Darren Ambrose the milestone win that made him the winningest coach in program history. Vanderbilt controlled much of the flow, holding the ball for a full third of the match in the attacking half and firing off 21 shots to SMU's 8. Despite that lopsided territorial edge, the Commodores managed just 7 shots on target, and the finishing struggles nearly cost them. SMU made the most of its limited chances, converting 4 shots on target into 3 goals, including one unlucky deflection off a Vanderbilt defender that snuck past the goalkeeper as she dove out to claim a cross. Vanderbilt also generated 11 corner kicks without finding the back of the net off any of them, adding to the tension of a match that stayed unsettled deep into the second half. Vanderbilt ultimately di...