The Commodores dropped the final pool play game to Clemson University, 3-2. They ended pool play with a 1-2 record. 

 

Vanderbilt once again faced a numerical disadvantage. They were forced to roll 15 skaters to Clemson’s 20. That said, they put up a good fight. 

 

The Tigers scored two goals in quick succession midway through the first. Julian Yang got the Commodores back in it with a goal 36 seconds into the second. That was the only offense either team could muster in the middle frame.

 

With 14 shots in the last period, Vanderbilt made a big push to tie the game, but Clemson doubled their lead late. That would be the dagger the Tigers needed to win it.

 

Andrew Fietze scored for the Commodores with 46 seconds left, but it was too little too late for Vanderbilt. 

 

The Tigers narrowly out-shot Vanderbilt, 34 to 32. Clemson went undefeated in pool play. Its 3-2 victory over Vanderbilt was the closest game they have played in the tournament. 

With a 5-4 win over Liberty University, Vanderbilt earned its first Nationals win in program history. 

 

Andrew Shearson made 53 saves on 57 shots to keep the Commodores in the game from start to finish. 

 

Freshman Dominick Kamssu led the Commodores with a goal and two assists for three points. Julian Yang and Andrew Fietz each scored two points in the win. 

 

The Flames struck first with a power play goal late in the first. 

 

The second period was wildly back-and-forth. Kamssu scored for Vanderbilt to even it up, but Liberty went back up less than two minutes later.

 

Five minutes in, Fietze scored Vanderbilt’s second game-tying goal, and less than a minute later, Yang put them ahead. 

 

Midway through the period, the Flames tied it up, and with three minutes left, they went ahead. Going into the second intermission, Liberty was up 4-3.

 

Six minutes into the third, Harrison Parent, assisted by Kamssu and Braden Pichel, tied it for Vanderbilt. It was the third game-tying goal for the Commodores. 

 

Reese Popkin scored the game-winning goal on the power play with less than five minutes to go. 

 

The Commodores deployed five fewer skaters than the Flames, and they were heavily outshot, 22 to 57, but they still picked up a much-needed victory. 

The Commodores started pool play on the wrong foot. They lost 5-2 to Bishop University, the top-seeded team in Pool El. 

 

The Gaiters put up 45 shots to Vanderbilts 23. The Commodores only mustered two shots in the first period but were able to bounce back with 11 and 10 in the second and third periods. 

 

Bishop scored early in the first and doubled its lead on the power play six minutes into the second.

 

Vanderbilt got back into the game with a power play goal from senior Julian Yang with 12 seconds to go in the period.

 

The Gaiters reestablished their two-goal lead midway through the third, but Braden Pichel scored the Commodores’ second power-play goal to get back within one. 

 

Two goals from Bishop in the last three minutes of the contest would put the game on ice. 

 

It is worth noting that Bishop deployed four more skaters than Vanderbilt, so they could spread ice time through more players. 

 

“I thought the team showed remarkable resilience and determination,” said head coach Max Mona, “They truly exemplified our team’s spirit, maintaining a narrow gap against the highest-ranked team in our pool for the majority of the game.”

 

The Commodores will face off against Liberty University at 6 p.m. ET tonight. Liberty lost 5-2 against Clemson to open pool play. 

Nashville, T.N. – The Vanderbilt Commodores split their weekend series with the Central Florida Knights on February 3rd and 4th.

The Dores dropped game one by a score of 7-3. Ryan Boersma scored his 8th of the season. Emmett Kappesser scored his first career goal in the 3rd period. Braden Pichel followed with a goal to make it 6-3. However, the Dores were unable to finish the comeback, as a late empty net goal put the Knights up 7-3.

It was a different story for the Commodores on Saturday. Drew Fietze opened up Vanderbilt’s scoring with 2 back-to-back goals. Aiden Machanic scored his first and second goals of the season as well.

Vanderbilt continued to pressure Central Florida through the second and third periods. Fietze completed the hat trick, scoring an additional fourth goal in the third. Kappesser two goals in the third period, helping the Dores steamroll to a 9-3 win. Max Kushnick secured the victory in his first start of the year, stopping 27 out of 30 shots faced.

The Commodores finish out the regular season next weekend at home against the University of Alabama Huntsville Chargers.