Vanderbilt's kicker Sarah Fuller had an inspiring message for women athletes everywhere Saturday, following her historic debut for the Commodores against the Missouri Tigers (via CBS Sports).

In delivering the opening kickoff—which traveled 30 yards to the Missouri 35-yard line—Fuller became the first woman to appear in a football game for a Power 5 conference.

Recruited to the active roster following an outbreak of COVID-19 to several players on Vanderbilt's roster, Fuller had been known around campus, for serving on the universities' soccer team as a goalkeeper. While both she and the team have been quoted over recent days, attempting to separate the historic nature of her appearance with the task of winning the game, the squad has also leaned into its support of her. Over the past day, the hashtag “play like a girl” has been popularized on social media, with the university joining in and showing support for their starting placekicker.

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While Fuller's presence was undeniably a positive moment for Vanderbilt, the actual game against Missouri was decidedly less so. Entering Saturday's matchup winless in their first seven games, the Commodores were annihilated by the Tigers 41-0. In being shutout, Fuller failed to record a play outside of kickoffs.

In dropping to 0-8 on the season, the Nashville based university will remain in the cellar of the SEC East, two games behind the South Carolina Gamecocks. Scheduled to play the Georgia Bulldogs next weekend, Vanderbilt is hoping to have the players they lost to Covid back on their active roster. Should they be able to return, it is likely that Fuller will not retain a spot on the active roster.