FINAL SCORE: Vermont 1, New Hampshire 1 (2OT)
DURHAM, N.H. – Vermont was the first to score and had numerous chances in the second overtime period to upset league-leader New Hampshire on Sunday afternoon, but had to settle for a 1-1 double overtime draw at Bremner Field.
RELATED LINKS
Box Score
The Catamounts improve their overall record to 6-5-2 and 1-2-1 in America East. The Wildcats suffer their first non-winning effort in league play with a record of 6-4-3 overall and 3-0-1 in conference.
The first half was a defensive battle as the two squads attempted a combined seven shots. The Wildcats fired two shots in the opening 10 minutes with Catamounts' keeper Coco Speckmaier (3 saves) coming up with a big stop.
In the 25th minute, Brooke Jenkins tried to get Vermont on the scoreboard, but her shot was saved by New Hampshire goalie Mimi Borkan (9 saves). On the Catamounts' next possession, America East shots leader Sarah Martin fired a shot on goal but Borkan was there for another save.
Two minutes later, Savana Yurick tried to bend a shot through the UNH defense but her attempt was blocked by a defender.
The Catamounts struck first in the 79th minute. Casey Garfinkel dished a cross into the box where Caitie Green leaped above the UNH defense and headed in her third goal of the season.
Vermont was looking for the upset, but New Hampshire was not going to be denied and tied the game with 1:32 left in regulation. The league's scoring leader, Brooke Murphy, came through for the Wildcats with her ninth goal of the year. Murphy shot the equalizer into the bottom left corner of the net after receiving a high-bouncing cross came from Megan Rumbold.
UVM survived the first overtime period with UNH launching four potential game-winners, including two in a 20-second span, but the Catamounts' defense forced the game into a second overtime session.
The Catamounts were on the attack in double overtime and eyed the walk-off score. Vermont shot six times in the final period but Borkan made four saves to prevent the winning goal as the clocked ticked all the way down to zero.
Vermont returns home on Thursday (Oct. 13) to host UMBC at 7 p.m. under the lights of Virtue Field. 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.
