WOMEN'S SOCCER NOTEBOOK
Vermont (3-5-3, 1-0-1) will head to Stony Brook (6-5-1, 1-0-1) on Sunday (Sept. 30) in a rematch of last year's America East Championship Game. The opening kickoff is set for 12 p.m. Free live video will be available on
AmericaEast.TV.
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HOT START IN CONFERENCE PLAY
The Catamounts are off to their best start in conference play since 2005. UVM currently sits atop the league standings with four points – tied with Hartford and Stony Brook. Vermont had a similar start back in 2009 with two draws in its first two league contests. In 2005, the Cats opened the America East slate with four straight victories.
SEPTEMBER SUCCESS
UVM has posted a 3-2-2 mark during the month of September as the Burlington bunch enters the September finale. In the seven-game set, six different Cats have recorded a point. Vermont is currently in the midst of a three-game unbeaten streak and has avoided a loss in five out of the last six outings.
RELIVING LAST YEAR'S TITLE GAME
No. 5 seed Stony Brook held off No. 6 seed Vermont for a 2-1 victory in the Catamounts' first-ever America East Championship Game on Long Island. The Seawolves took the lead in the 18th minute after a combination passing play on the left side of the penalty area. Kaitlin Loughren received a pass on the flank from Fanny Gotesson and centered to Alyssa Francese, who one-timed a shot into the upper left corner. Stony Brook doubled its lead in the 33rd minute on an individual effort from Manuela Corcho. The senior made an interior move to her right inside the UVM box before drilling a low right-footed shot to the far side.
Sarah Martin cut the lead in half in the 62nd minute as she rifled a low shot into the right corner of the net, beating Sofia Manner from 20 yards out.
SCOUTING STONY BROOK
Like Vermont, the Seawolves are unbeaten in their last three contests and have outscored their opponents 9-5. Stony Brook has an unblemished 3-0 mark on Long Island this season with a pair of clean sheets. Francese has scored seven goals and logged 15 points, both rank third in the league. The sophomore has netted four goals in the last three games, including a two-goal effort at Albany last time out. Julie Johnstonbaugh and Chelsie Deponte follow with eight points apiece. Johnstonbaugh has recorded four goals while Deponte has used a balanced attack with three goals and two assists. In net, Manner has made 45 saves and logged three clean sheets, the second-most among her conference peers.
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Catamounts hold a slight 14-12-1 edge over the Seawolves. UVM won the first nine meetings from 1990-2001 but Stony Brook has made a strong push to even the series in the 21st century. In last year's regular season finale, the Green and Gold blanked the Seawolves 2-0 at Virtue Field and secured a spot in the America East Tournament. The two rivals also met in the 2016 America East Quarterfinals as the sixth-seeded Cats knocked off the third-seeded Seawolves 3-1 in penalty kicks.
