MEN'S SOCCER NOTEBOOK
Vermont (9-3-1, 1-1-0) is ready for a challenge on Wednesday night at No. 18 UMass Lowell (8-0-2, 1-0-1) with a 7 p.m. kickoff. The Catamounts return home on Saturday night to host Hartford (4-5-3, 0-0-2) at 7 p.m. under the lights of Virtue Field. Tickets are available for the Hartford game at UVMathletics.com/Tickets or at the Gutterson Box Office on gameday. Free live video is available in HD via AmericaEast.TV at the links below.

RELATED LINKS
UMass Lowell: Video | Live Stats
Hartford: Video
Polls: NSCAA

ALBANY RECAP
The Catamounts traveled to Albany last Friday, but could not generate enough offense to get past their conference rival with a 4-0 defeat. UVM had chances to tie the game late in the first half, but the Great Danes scored three times in the second half to make a comeback insurmountable.
 
NATIONAL POLL RANKINGS
Despite the loss at Albany, Vermont is still receiving votes in the National Soccer Coaches of America Association (NSCAA) poll at No. 37 and rank sixth in the East Region. UMass Lowell is the top overall team in the region and No. 18 in the country.
 
SPECIAL OLYMPICS
At halftime of Saturday's game versus Hartford, Special Olympics Vermont will present a unified demonstration with Special Olympic athletes, as well as support from the UVM basketball teams on the field.

CLOSING IN ON A MILESTONE
With UVM's win over Stony Brook last week, head coach Jesse Cormier recorded his 109th career victory on the sidelines. Cormier only needs six more wins to break Ron McEachen's record of 114 program wins. The Catamounts have five regular season games remaining on the schedule plus the America East Tournament. 

SCOUTING UMASS LOWELL
For the third time this season, Ivan Abramovic was named the America East Rookie of the Week, on Monday. The redshirt-freshman also earned a spot on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week, becoming the second River Hawk to be named to the team this season. Abramovic leads the team with 19 points (6 goals, 7 assists) followed by teammate Fernandes Wuilito with 16 points (7 goals, 2 assists). Goalie Austin Kroll is yet to surrender a game this season between the pipes. The junior keeper is 7-0-2 on the year with four shutouts and an impressive 0.56 goals-against average to lead America East goalies.
 
SCOUTING HARTFORD
The Hawks did not like to see the calendar turn into October. Hartford scored 11 goals during the month of September but have only produced one goal since the new month started. Hartford has seen a balanced scoring attack with Andri Jonasson and Jeff Tryon leading the way with three goals apiece. Tryon charted the equalizer on Saturday in a 1-1 tie at Binghamton. Keeper Jimmy Slayton has the Hawks tied for the league lead with five shutouts this season. The freshman has been one of the top goalies in the conference with a 0.70 goals-against average, trailing only Kroll of UMass Lowell.  

SERIES HISTORY 
A head-to-head series normally has a team with a wins-loss record, but not UMass Lowell and UVM. Since UMass Lowell moved to the NCAA Division I level in 2013, the three matchups have resulted in double overtime ties. The first-ever game in 2013 saw the most offensive production with each team tallying a goal, but the last two games have resulted in scoreless draws.  
 
The all-time series with Hartford swings in the favor of the Catamounts with a 16-11-8 record. Cormier has been responsible for nearly half of the 16 wins since he took over the reins in 2004. He is 7-3-3 against the Hawks as head coach and 6-2-2 in the last 10 meetings.
 
WHO'S NEXT
Vermont takes a week off from action before traveling to Binghamton on Saturday, October 22 at 7 p.m. Free live video is available in HD via AmericaEast.TV.