POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Despite scoring just two minutes into the brand new season, the Vermont women's soccer team dropped its season-opener, a 4-2 decision to Marist, Saturday evening.
 
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Caitie Green got the Cats on the board early in the first half. Sarah Martin hit a streaking Nikki McFarland down the right flank and McFarland played tic-tac-toe with Green who finished low into a vacant net.
 
Marist netted the equalizer about 25 minutes later when Camille Bowen sent a free kick sailing over the head of UVM keeper Coco Speckmaier from 30 yards out.
 
The Red Foxes took the lead late in the first half on a goal from Juliete Loccisano. That 43^rd-minute tally, a well-place header over Speckmaier, sent Marist to the half in front, 2-1.
 
Bowen made it 3-1 Marist in the 57^th minute when she converted a penalty kick after the Catamounts were whistled for a handball in the box.
 
A promising sequence pulled the Cats to within 3-2 with about 18 minutes to play. After a Brooke Jenkins shot rung the crossbar, Vermont earned a free kick 25 yards from goal. Martin sent a low shot towards goal, it deflected off a four-person Marist wall and into the net.
 
But just one minute later, Marist pushed the lead back to two and it was once again Bowen on a free kick to complete the hat trick and give the Red Foxes a 4-2 lead.
 
Speckmaier finished with five saves in the UVM net as did Marist keeper Makayla Foley.
 
Up next for the Cats will their home opener in the TD Bank Classic against Central Connecticut on Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. That contest will be the nightcap of a soccer triple-header at Virtue Field. All of that action can be seen live and for free on AmericaEast.tv.
 
Notes: This is Vermont's first loss to Marist in six all-time meetings (4-1-1)… Vermont is now 2-4 in season openers under head coach Kristi Lefebvre…Sarah Martin's goal is the 10^th of her career.