WOMEN'S SOCCER NOTEBOOK
Vermont will kick off the 2019 campaign with two games this weekend. UVM will host Sacred Heart on Friday (Aug. 23) at 7 p.m., then travels to Army on Sunday (Aug. 25) for a 1 p.m. game time. Fans can purchase tickets to Friday's season opener at
UVMathletics.com/Tickets or at the Gutterson Fieldhouse Box Office on gameday. Free video and live stats will be available by clicking the links below.
RELATED LINKS
Sacred Heart: Video | Live Stats | Tickets
Army: Video | Live Stats
Vermont: Schedule | Roster | Gameday Promotions
PC CONSTRUCTION GAME DAY PARKING UPDATE
Due to the ongoing construction of UVM's Multi-Purpose Center, fans planning to attend women's soccer games should be aware of changes to the traffic flow in-and-around Virtue Field. The competition venue can still be accessed from Main Street and Spear Street. However, game day parking is now exclusively available in the parking garage and its adjacent lots. The section of parking that used to connect PFG Road and Davis Road is now permanently closed.
AMERICA EAST PRESEASON RANKINGS
The Catamounts are slated to finish sixth, according to this year's America East Preseason Coaches' Poll. UVM tallied 26 points in the poll as defending conference champion UAlbany was voted as the preseason favorite with 57 points and four first-place votes. Hartford followed in second place with 54 points and two first-place votes. Stony Brook took third place with 49 points and received a pair of votes while UMass Lowell trailed in fourth place with 45 points. New Hampshire rounded out the top-five with 40 points and the remaining first place vote.
2019 NEWCOMERS
Head coach
Kristi Huizenga officially announced her recruiting class for the 2019 season in June. The group of eight newcomers includes three midfielders, three forwards, one defender, and one netminder. The new faces in Catamount Country are
Cricket Basa (Holy Cross transfer),
Nicky Constant,
Ava Keaffaber,
Frances O'Donnell,
Allison Oestreicher,
Katelyn Singer,
Hannah Stone, and
Karen Wallace.
2019 DOCKET
UVM will play teams from five different conferences this year. After Sunday's trip to Army, the Cats will host the TD Bank Classic on Friday, August 30 and Sunday, Sept. 1. The tournament field includes Merrimack, New Hampshire, and North Dakota State. America East play will start with a trip to Binghamton on Sunday, Sept 22. The Green and Gold will close out the regular season against defending conference champion UAlbany on Thursday, Oct. 31.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Like the Cats in America East, the Pioneers were selected to finish sixth in the Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. SHU will have an equal balance of returners and newcomers for the 2019 season. Sacred Heart welcomes back 20 student-athletes from last year and added 21 freshmen in the offseason. Junior Taylor Casale was the team's top scoring underclassman in 2018 with six points (2 goals, 2 assists). Senior netminder Angela DiFazio saw action in nearly 149 minutes and logged eight saves.
Army was also tabbed sixth in in the Patriot League preseason rankings after earning a bid to the conference tournament for the first time since 2014. Goalkeeper Sydnie Cassalia was named to the Preseason All-League Team. The 2018 All-Region First Team pick played in all 18 games and posted nine clean sheets. Junior Erynn Johns was the Black Knights' leading scorer last season with 11 points (3 goals, 5 assists).
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Catamounts have an unblemished 4-0 mark against the Pioneers, including a 3-0 record in Burlington. The foes will meet for the third straight season as UVM has outscored SHU 8-3 in the series.
Vermont and Army will end a seven-year hiatus as the Cats will visit West Point for the first time since 2010. Despite a 3-8 record against the Black Knights, the Catamounts have reached the win column in two out of the last five meetings.
