FINAL SCORE: Vermont 2, Brown 1 (OT)
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Vermont native and freshman midfielder Ella Bankert recorded her first career goal as a Catamount and lifted UVM to a 2-1 overtime victory over Brown on Saturday afternoon.
 
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"We've worked quite a bit this week on exactly how we scored so the first thing we said when we won was how proud of them we were for executing," head coach Kristi Lefebvre said. "Practice can get kind of boring when you practice the same things over and over but it paid off today."
 
The Catamounts improve to 3-1 and stay unbeaten at home. The Green and Gold's unblemished 3-0 home record is the best mark since 2003. Brown suffers its first loss of the season and falls to 3-1.
 
Early in the first half, Colby Snyder tried to net an early goal but came up shy on a cross by Brooke Jenkins. Snyder launched a shot from 10 yards away but her attempt sailed high of the crossbar.
 
In the 27th minute Vermont goalie Coco Speckmaier (8 saves) came through with a big save to preserve the scoreless tie. Brown's Star White was on the attack and sent a line drive at the senior keeper, but Speckmaier managed to stick out her right foot to deflect the shot away.
 
A minute later, Sarah Martin became the first UVM player since Emily Milbank in 2010 to record two penalty kick goals in a season. The Bowie, Maryland native drew a foul in the box and then lined up for the ensuing kick. Martin aimed her attempt to the right where Brown netminder Christine Etzel (3 saves) stopped the shot on contact, but the ball bounced off her hands and into the back of the net.
 
Shortly into the second half, Martin eyed her second goal of contest but could not get her shot on frame. The senior fired an attempt from the edge of the 18-yard box that was destined for the top right corner of the net, but the ball flew too high.
 
Late in the second half, the Bears tied the game at 1-1. Abby Carchio was dribbling up the field and sent a low through ball to the left side where Jennifer Caruso took one dribble and sneaked a shot past Speckmaier.
 
Bankert netted her first career score in the 92nd minute after Julia Smith dished out the assist. Smith pushed the ball deep into the right side of the box and sent a cross in front of the net. Bankert trapped the cross and then ripped a shot past Etzel for the game-winning goal.
 
Vermont hits the road for a two-game swing next week, starting with a trip to Siena on Wednesday (Sept. 6) at 5 p.m.
 
Almartin Volvo is the presenting sponsor of the 2017 Vermont women's soccer season.