MEN'S SOCCER NOTEBOOK
For the first time in nearly 500 days, the UVM men's soccer team will host an opponent at Virtue Field. Vermont will take on league newcomer NJIT on Friday afternoon (March 19) at 2 p.m. Fans can watch the game on ESPN+ and the ESPN app with a paid subscription.
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MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY PRESENTED BY MILTON CAT
Friday is Military Appreciation Day presented by Milton Cat. Please consider showing your support by donating to the Josh Pallotta Fund by visiting
JoshPallottaFund.org. Donations directly support veterans in our local community. The Josh Pallotta Fund was created by a group of Veterans, family, and community members in memory of Joshua R. Pallotta. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Veterans and Service Members by combining local and national resources, emergency services, and research to provide Veterans the resiliency, transition and reintegration tools to help them sustain or return to full and healthy lives. Thank you to our service members that continue to protect and serve our community.
SILVEIRA LINING
Senior goalkeeper
Nate Silveira was selected as the America East Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday. The senior from East Providence, Rhode Island made five saves in last Friday's scoreless draw with nationally-ranked New Hampshire. Silveira and UVM's defense kept UNH off the scoreboard for the first time since November 1, 2019. The 6-1 netminder earned his third-career clean sheet and his first-career weekly award.
CATS IN HOME OPENERS
UVM has found successful recently in its home openers. The Green and Gold have a 5-2-1 record since the 2012 season. The Cats have played in some close matches as seven out of the eight games were decided by one goal or less.
SCOUTING NJIT
In their first season as a member of the America East Conference, the Highlanders have dropped their first two conference games and bring a 0-2-1 overall record to Burlington this weekend. In the preseason rankings, NJIT was picked fourth with 40 points – two spots below the Cats at No. 2 with 52 points. NJIT has used a balanced scoring attack as five different players have scored a goal and eight Highlanders have been credited with a point. Regsan Watkins has netted a goal in two out of his last three games and leads the team with five points. Jose Escandon is one of five NJIT athletes to follow with two points. Escandon has been credited with a team-best two assists. Goalie Samuel Reisgys has registered a 1.89 goals-against average and has made a total of 22 saves this season.
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
Friday's matinee is the first ever meeting between the two programs. UVM has played a school from New Jersey in two out of the last four seasons. The Cats beat Rider 4-1 in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Virtue Field, then topped Fairleigh Dickinson 4-0 two years in Burlington.
