Losing a game was something that only happened once last year for the women’s soccer team at the University of Memphis. It also just so happened to come in the final game of the season, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against TCU. With that being the case, there was no way for Coach Brooks Monaghan to learn how his team would bounce back from a loss. This year, he gets that chance very early as the Tigers were stunned in the dying seconds of their last game on Saturday against Alabama. But the tests aren’t getting any easier any time soon as Friday night’s game is on the road against a Top-5 ranked Vanderbilt team.
Saturday’s game against Alabama was a stunner, not just because Alabama won it in the dying seconds, but because Memphis had not lost a home game at South Campus in nearly five years. By his own admission, Coach Monaghan was not happy with the way his team played early against Alabama but liked they way they responded when he challenged them to do so. The question now becomes, can they do that on a bigger level against Vanderbilt in Nashville?
Memphis wasn’t the only women’s college soccer team to have an excellent 2025 season. Vanderbilt managed to post a historic campaign last year as they won the SEC Tournament and advanced all the way to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Funnily enough, their head coach Darren Ambrose, is a University of Memphis alum. He’s done an excellent job since taking over the Commodores with a record of 128-65-32. So far this season, Vandy is 2-0. Their first outing with a 4-3 thriller against SMU while their second game was a more expected 4-0 win over East Tennessee State.
When, Where
Date: Friday, August 21, 2026
Stadium: Vanderbilt Soccer/Lacrosse Complex
City: Nashville, TN
Time: 6pm
TV: SEC Network
All-Time Series
Series tied 4-4-0
Last Meeting
Date: Sunday, August 24, 2026
Stadium: Billy Murphy Track & Soccer Stadium
City: Memphis, TN
Attendance: 560
Result: Memphis 1-0 Vanderbilt
Next Game
Date: Thursday, August 27, 2026
Match-Up: Memphis @ Ole Miss
Stadium: Ole Miss Soccer Stadium
City: Oxford, MS
Time: 7pm
TV: ESPN+
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