WOMEN'S SOCCER NOTEBOOK
Vermont (6-6-3, 1-3-2) wraps up the regular season this week with visits from Hartford (10-4-1, 4-1-1) on Thursday at 7 p.m. and Binghamton (6-8-2, 2-4-0) on Sunday at 1 p.m. for Senior Day. Tickets are available at
UVMathletics.com/Tickets or at the Gutterson Box Office on gameday. Free live video is available in HD via AmericaEast.TV at the links below.
RELATED LINKS
Hartford: Live Video
Binghamton: Live Video
ABOUT VERMONT
The Catamounts fired a total of 107 shots against conference opponents, which is 13 more than UMass Lowell in second place, and UVM has tallied the mark in fewer games.
Sarah Martin, the league-leader in total shots (66), is looking to score her third goal in the last six games.
Julia Smith is positioned third in the conference with five goals to lead Vermont. Goalie
Coco Speckmaier has recorded four shutouts this season to put her in a third place tie in America East. Speckmaier is also tied for third in total saves (71).
VICTORY CLUB APPRECIATION
Director of Athletics
Jeff Schulman '89 would like to invite Victory Club members who qualify for benefits to attend Thursday night's women's soccer game, as the Catamounts host Hartford at 7pm. Members will have access to two complimentary tickets and are invited to stop by the new hospitality suite located at the top of the bleachers, adjacent to the press box. Members are encouraged to bring their membership card for convenience and asked to enter the hospitality suite on the right side as they are facing the press box. For information, please contact our Victory Club office at
Victory.Club@uvm.edu or 802.656.0956. An RSVP is not required.
SENIOR DAY
Sunday's meeting with Binghamton will mark the final home game for seven seniors. The septet of
Dana Buckhorn,
Alexa Crosby,
Caitie Green,
Meg James,
Alex Jenkins,
Nikki McFarland, and
Paige Phillips will be suiting up and playing in their final regular season game on Virtue Field. The group qualified for two America East postseason tournaments, including a semifinal appearance last year.
THIS MCFAR-LAND IS MY LAND
Nikki McFarland netted the game-winning goal over Binghamton a year ago to propel UVM into the playoffs. In 2013, McFarland scored the walk-off goal in double overtime to lift the Catamounts past the Bearcats in Vestal, New York and into the America East playoffs once again.
SCOUTING HARTFORD
The Hawks sit second in the America East standings and only a game behind Stony Brook. Hartford leads the league in just about every statistical category, including goals (34), assists (27), and is tied for second in shutouts (6). The Hawks have five of the top point scorers in the league and the power of three on their side. The trio of Tori Tripp, Kaila Lozada, and Julia Carr are tied for third in the conference with 14 points and five goals. Goalie Jessica Jurg has been impressive between the pipes this season with six shutouts, including three against conference foes. Jurg has only surrendered two goals in the last three games (2-0-1).
SCOUTING BINGHAMTON
The Bearcats have turned the corner over the last two weeks with a pair of wins against Maine and UMass Lowell. Prior to the success over the Black Bears and River Hawks, the Bearcats were winelss in their last six games. Binghamton uses the final 45 minutes to its advantage by doubling its season goal total in the second half compared to the first half. Michele Galvin leads the squad with eight points and was a huge key in the Bearcats' 2-1 against Maine on Oct. 9. She assisted on Binghamton's first goal and then scored the decisive goal on a corner kick in the 80th minute. In four out of the last five games, keeper Katie Hatziyianis has held her opponents to one or fewer goals.
SERIES HISTORY
The Catamounts and Hartford have had some epic duels in recent years. The last two meetings required at least an overtime period to determine a winner. In the last three years, two of the last three games have been decided by a one-goal deficit. Vermont tied Hartford 1-1 in last year's match against the eventual America East Championship finalist.
Vermont is looking to continue its recent success over Binghamton. UVM has won two of the last three meetings and three of the last five games needed two overtime periods to decide an outcome. In the all-time series, nine of the 12 games have been decided by a one-goal deficit. The Catamounts own four shutouts in the series and have recorded a goal in each contest, dating back to 2002.
WHO'S NEXT
The America East Conference will announce the postseason pairings next week. The quarterfinal round begins Thursday, October 27. Visit
UVMathletics.com for more information about the America East Conference Championship.
