WOMEN'S SOCCER NOTEBOOK
Vermont (0-1-0) will face NEC foe Merrimack (1-0-0) in its 2023 home opener on Sunday, August 20. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
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Tickets
FREE TICKETS FOR KIDS 12 AND YOUNGER
For Sunday's contest all kids 12 and younger wearing their favorite jersey will receive free admission to the game.
HOME OPENERS
The Catamounts are 6-4-2 in home openers under Head Coach
Kristi Huizenga. In last season's home opener Vermont fell 2-0 to No. 4 South Carolina in a competitive battle. This will be the second time under Huizenga and second time in three seasons that the Catamounts will host Merrimack in their home opener. In 2021 Vermont defeated the Warriors 4-3 in a high scoring affair. In that contest
Jill Brody netted two goals, including the game winner in the 89th minute and
Alyssa Oviedo registered the assist on the game winning shot.
SISTER PACT
Graduate captain
Alyssa Oviedo returns for her sixth season in Catamount country while her sister, senior Jazyln Oviedo, returns for her second straight season with Vermont. Last season the two sisters were limited to just four games together going 2-2-0 with two road victories over Sacred Heart and LIU. In their limited action together, the sisters combined for three points with a goal scored, an assist and helped the Catamounts score four of their 21 goals on the season.
START OF SEASON
Vermont fell on the road in its season opener to Boston University 1-0.
Kylee Carafoli played all 90 minutes for the Catamounts between the pipes registering six saves and only allowing one goal on a penalty kick in the 35th minute.
Kate Bossert led Vermont with two shots both coming on net and sophomore
Lauren DeGroot created pressure for the Catamounts off the bench with a shot on net in the 76th minute. Vermont registered six shots with three coming on target and six corners.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the fourth all-time matchup between the two schools with all contests coming since the 2019 season. Vermont is 1-2-0 against the Warriors having dropped the first matchup 2-1 at Virtue Field in September 2019 and the last matchup in August 2022 in North Andover, Massachusetts. The Catamounts won their last matchup with Merrimack at Virtue Field in 2021 in a high-scoring 4-3 victory. In their previous three matchups, the Warriors have outscored Vermont 7-6.
SCOUTING THE WARRIORS
Merrimack was selected fourth overall in the NEC Preseason Poll behind Central Connecticut State, Sacred Heart and Fairleigh Dickinson. Three time All-NEC Defender Abigail Cieri returns for the Warriors. Merrimack also returns graduate student and leading scorer Molly Murnane who finished with eight goals and a team-high 19 points. The warriors also return their second leading goal scorer in Ella Cormier who finished with six goals and three assists a season ago. Merrimack enters Sunday's contest with a 1-0-0 record coming off a 2-1 victory over UMass Lowell on Thursday (Aug. 17) night. Cormier scored both goals for the Warriors coming off assists from Isabella Keogh and Emily McCabe.
UP NEXT
Following Sunday's contest, the Catamounts will be on the road to face Farleigh Dickinson in Teanack, New Jersey. The start time for the contest is scheduled for 12 p.m. and will be broadcast live on NEC Front Row.
