WOMEN'S SOCCER NOTEBOOK
Vermont (3-5-2, 1-0-0) welcomes Hartford (8-1-1, 1-0-0) in the final match of a four-game homestand on Thursday (Sept. 27). The opening kickoff is set for 7 p.m. under the lights. Tickets are available at UVMathletics.com/Tickets or at the Gutterson Fieldhouse Box Office on gameday. Free live video will be available in HD at AmericaEast.TV.
 
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AMERICA EAST HONORS
Freshman goalie Lydia Kessel was named America East Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. In two games, Kessel posted two clean sheets and made eight total saves. She set a new career-high with six saves in a 1-0 win over Siena and helped UVM earn its first conference-opening victory since 2015 after holding off Binghamton 1-0 on Sunday.
 
SECONDS? YES, PLEASE!
Vermont has won the second conference game on the docket in four out of the last five seasons. Last year, UVM blanked Binghamton 2-0 on the road. In 2016, the Green and Gold beat UMass Lowell 1-0 in overtime. The Catamounts topped UMBC 2-1 back in 2014 and were victorious against UMass Lowell again in 2013, the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
 
CATS OVER THE LAST FIVE
The Catamounts are unbeaten in four out of their last five matches (3-1-1). In the three wins and draw, UVM has kept its opponents off the scoreboard each time out. During the five-game stretch, three Cats have recorded game-winning goals – Ella Bankert, Aly Spencer, and Brooke Jenkins. Bankert helped the Green and Gold reach the win column at Sacred Heart on Sept. 9, Spencer scored her third penalty kick goal of the season against Siena last Thursday, and Jenkins found the back of the net against Binghamton on Sunday.
 
SCOUTING HARTFORD
The Hawks bring their eight-game unbeaten streak (7-0-1) to Catamount Country. In this year's America East Preseason Coaches' Poll, Hartford was selected to finish fourth and received one first-place vote. As the schedule dives into conference play, the Hawks lead the league with 77 points, 27 goals, and 23 assists. Hartford owns a 0.90 team goals-against average (GAA) – the best mark in America East ahead of Vermont (1.00) in second place. On the league's top scorers list, the Hawks have four players in the top-10. Kaila Lozada ranks fifth with 12 points on three goals and a conference-best six assists. Gabriela Gamory follows in sixth with 11 points and sits third in the league with five goals. Ashley Claud and Bridgette Alexander round out the attack with 10 points apiece. In net, Maia Perez tops her conference peers with four cleans sheets and has surrendered the second-fewest goals (9).
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
UVM has reached the win column five times against the Hawks. Since 2014, the outcome has been decided by one goal or less four times and at least one overtime period was needed to determine a winner three times. The Catamounts will try to beat the Hawk in Burlington for the first time since 2012.