FINAL SCORE: Stony Brook 2, Vermont 0
STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Vermont and Stony Brook came into Thursday night's game averaging a combined 14 shots per game, but the two teams combined for only 16 shot attempts. The defensive units were solid for most of the contest, but the Catamounts surrendered a pair of second half goals for a 2-0 America East loss to the Seawolves.
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Box Score
The Catamounts drop to 6-5-2 overall and 1-2-0 in conference, while the Seawolves improve to 5-7-2 overall and 2-1-0 in America East.
In the first half, the two squads combined to attempt only five shots, but it was the missed opportunities for each team that proved to be the difference in the opening period. In the first 10 minutes, Stony Brook had a pair of wide open opportunities, but both were eventually called back due to an offsides call.
UVM took the lone corner kick of the first half in the 12th minute. Vermont had a solid chance to get on the scoreboard, but the Stony Brook defense stepped up and cleared away any scoring threat.
Sarah Martin showed her strength in the 17th minute. The Catamounts were on the prowl when Martin trapped a pass, spun to her right, and fired a left-footed shot just inches wide of the left post.
A minute later, Stony Brook set up a free kick just beyond the UVM bench. The Catamounts set up a three-defender wall and the Seawolves' Amy Thompson wrapped a shot around the wall, but directly at UVM keeper
Coco Speckmaier (3 saves) for the easy stop.
In the 34th minute,
Julia Smith made a good bid to hand the Catamounts their first lead of the evening. Smith dribbled up the sideline and as she approached the box, she lined a low shot to the far post where Stony Brook keeper Cara Gallagher (2 saves) dove to her right to make a key save.
The Catamounts came out of the break and tried to score quickly. Martin had another chance but her shot flew wide left to keep the scoreboard reading all zeros.
In the 64th minute,
Nikki McFarland battled through a pair of Stony Brook defenders for a prime scoring opportunity, but the Seawolves recovered to eliminate the attack.
On the other end of the field, Stony Brook countered by converting on a corner kick. Hannah Groth bent a kick in front of the net where Julie Johnstonbaugh came rushing in for the header and gave the Seawolves a 1-0 advantage.
Stony Brook added the insurance goal three and a half minutes to go for the final margin of victory. Thompson sent a through ball to Johnstonbaugh, who passed a right-footed cross to her left where Raven Edwards was there for the one-timer and knocked in her fifth goal of the season.
Vermont plays the second stint of a two-game conference road trip on Sunday (Oct. 9) at New Hampshire. The conference matchup starts at 2 p.m. and all the action can be seen live for free in HD via AmericaEast.TV.
