MEN'S SOCCER NOTEBOOK
Vermont (13-4-2, 6-1-1 AE) will host an NCAA Tournament Game for the first time since 2016 when it faces Villanova (11-7-1, 5-4-1 Big East) on Thursday night at Virtue Field. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. Thursday's game will broadcast live on ESPN+ with Brian McLaughlin on the call.
 
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are available for purchase at UVMathletics.com/Tickets. Seats in the reserved section with chairbacks are listed at $20 per person. For general admission, adult tickets are $10 and youth (12 and under) tickets are $5. UVM students can receive free admission by showing their CATcard at the entrance to Virtue Field.
 
RELATED LINKS
Watch | Live Stats | Digital Program | Tickets
CatamounTV Press Conference: Coach Dow | Nate Silveira | Garrett Lillie
 
FIRST TIME SINCE 2016
The Catamounts last hosted an NCAA Tournament game on November 17, 2016 when they faced Rider on Virtue Field. Vermont took a 4-1 victory with Brian Wright registering a hat trick and adding one assist. Wright set the program record for the most points in a single season (39) that night in front of a record crowd of 2,058 fans.
 
HOW WE GOT HERE
Vermont clinched its sixth America East Championship on Sunday (Nov. 14) to secure a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Graduate student Yves Borie scored the game's only goal in the 68th minute to lead the Catamounts over nationally-ranked New Hampshire on the road.
 
CATS IN THE TOURNAMENT
UVM's NCAA Tournament berth is its 11th in program history. The Catamounts are 4-9-2 in tournament history with its deepest run coming in 1989 when Vermont beat UConn and Yale, before falling to Rutgers in the regional finals. UVM has played three tournament games since 2015. The program's most recent game came in 2016 when Vermont visited Virginia after defeating Rider at Virtue Field. The Catamounts and Cavaliers went to double overtime in Charlottesville, but Virginia earned a 2-1 victory.
 
SCOUTING NOVA
The Wildcats carried the No. 28 RPI ranking to earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. Villanova has wins in three of its last five contests, including a 2-1 victory over Creighton in the Big East Semifinal. Lyam Mackinnon leads the Wildcats' attack with 20 points (7 goals, 6 assists) on the season. The junior was named to the All-Big East Second Team along with goalkeeper Carson Williams who has a 1.14 goals against average and six shutouts.  
 
CATS VS. CATS
The Catamounts are 3-0-1 this season against feline mascots. Vermont has wins over the New Hampshire Wildcats (W, 1-0 on Nov. 14), Princeton Tigers (W, 2-0 on Sep. 7) and the Binghamton Bearcats (W, 4-1 on Nov. 1). Vermont and UNH played to a 1-1 draw earlier in the season on October 16.
 
Able Paint Glass & Flooring is the presenting sponsor of Vermont men's soccer