FINAL SCORE: Hartford 1, Vermont 0
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. –  The sixth-seeded Vermont Catamounts had their hearts broken on Sunday afternoon with a tough 1-0 loss at the second-seeded Hartford Hawks in the America East semifinal round.

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The Catamounts close the books on the 2016 season with a 7-8-4 record overall. Hartford improves to 13-4-1 overall and advances to the America East Championship game to face the winner of Albany and New Hampshire.
 
In the first half, Vermont's defense was solid to keep the Hawks off the scoreboard. In the 25th minute, Julia Carr lined a shot on goal but Coco Speckmaier (9 saves) was there to catch it for the save.
 
In the 44th minute, the Catamounts' defense stepped up again to knock away a potential go-ahead score. Aaliyah Ingram dribbled forward into the box and put a left-footed touch on the ball but a Vermont defender was there to block the attempt.
 
Vermont survived a pair of dangerous Hartford scoring opportunities to open the second half. In the 48th minute, Kaila Lozada lined an attempt towards the left post, but Speckmaier dove to her right to make the stop and kept the game scoreless. Hartford continued to push the tempo as Carr lofted a shot towards the net, but Speckmaier jumped up and intercepted the attempt.

Hartford struck for the only goal of the game in the 76th minute. The Hawks set up a free kick from about 30 yards out. Skylar Vitiello booted a bending line drive towards the net. Vitiello's shot hooked into the top left corner for her second goal of the season and just over the leaping gloves of Speckmaier.
 
The Catamounts eyed the counter in the final five minutes of the contest. In the 86th minute, Julia Smith ripped a shot from the right corner of the box, but her low shot rolled only inches too wide of the far post. The freshman tried again a minute later but the Hawks' defense deflected the attempt away.
 
Less than a minute later, Vermont was still on the attack and lofted a few chances in the box. Sarah Martin tried for the equalizer with a header, but the junior's shot landed in the arms of America East Goalkeeper of the Year Jessica Jurg (3 saves).  
 
In the final minute, UVM had a pair of corner kicks and tried to push the game into an overtime period. On the second corner, Caitie Green leaped up for a header, but the shot bounced wide left. Martin managed to get one final attempt in the last 10 seconds of regulation but could not find the back of the net.
 
Vermont's bid for an America East Championship comes to a halt in the semifinal round for the second straight season. The Catamounts had three players earn America East Major Awards with Martin landing on the All-Conference Third Team while Smith and Brooke Jenkins received an All-Rookie Team nod.