MEN'S SOCCER NOTEBOOK
Top-seeded Vermont (10-7-1, 5-1-1) will host No. 4 seed Albany (12-4-2, 4-2-1) in the America East Semifinal on Wednesday (Nov. 8). The opening kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Fans can purchase tickets at
UVMathletics.com/Tickets or at the Gutterson Fieldhouse Box Office on gameday. Free HD video and live stats will be available by clicking the links below.
RELATED LINKS
Albany: Video | Live Stats | Tickets
CatamounTV: Semifinal Preview | UNH Highlights
America East: Championship Central
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TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the game are $8 for adults, $5 for youth, and free for UVM students. Fans can purchase tickets by
clicking here.
LAST TIME OUT | UNH Highlights
UVM clinched the America East regular season crown with a 1-1 draw at 20th-ranked New Hampshire last Wednesday. Vermont's goal came in the 40th minute after
Jon Arnar Barðdal took advantage of a failed clear attempt by UNH's backline.
Ívar Örn Árnason lofted a free kick from the left side of the field where a Wildcat defender tried to clear the feed away, but squibbed the kick inside of the six-yard box. The ball bounced right to Barðdal and the sophomore fired the go-ahead score between the legs of UNH goalie Andrew Pesci.
THE FANS' CHOICE
Geo Alves was named the America East Fans' Choice Player of the Year over the weekend. Alves is the America East leader in goals (9), points (23), game-winning goals (3), and shots (62). He finished his first regular season at UVM ranked among the top-40 players nationally in both goals and assists.
CATS ON THE ALL-AMERICA EAST TEAMS
The league announced its annual awards last Friday as eight Catamounts earned a spot on the America East All-Conference, All-Rookie, and All-Academic Teams. From the six major awards, Vermont sophomore
Aron Runarsson was named Goalkeeper of the Year. The Cats had seven additional players recognized – Alves (First Team), Barðdal (Second Team),
Justin Freitas (Second Team),
Mikel Kabala (Second Team),
Daði Bærings Halldórsson (All-Rookie Team),
Arthur Bacquet (All-Academic Team), and
Arnar Steinn Hansson (All-Academic Team).
REGULAR SEASON TITLES
With the draw at UNH, the Catamounts captured their third America East regular season title in program history and first since 2012. UVM's first regular season crown came back in 1989 on its way to a school record 19-win season and recorded an unbeaten conference record (4-0-1). In 2012, the Cats posted another unblemished league mark at 5-0-2.
FIRST-YEAR SUCCESS
Head coach
Rob Dow's 10 wins this season are the second-most among Division I rookie head coaches, trailing only FIU's Kevin Nylen with an unbeaten 11-0-4 record. Dow is the first UVM coach to lead the Cats to a regular season title in his first season and his 10 victories are the second-most by a first-year Vermont head coach.
UNITED SOCCER COACHES EAST REGIONAL POLL
Wednesday's primetime matchup features two of the top teams in the region, according to the United Soccer Coaches East Regional Poll. Albany sits at No. 5 in the final regular season rankings while Vermont trails in the No. 8 spot.
Click here to view the United Soccer Coaches East Regional Poll.
SCOUTING ALBANY
The Great Danes earned the No. 4 seed after finishing the regular season on a four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) with all four matches resulting in a shutout. In its quarterfinal game against UMBC on Saturday, Albany won the penalty kick shootout 4-2 after the conference rivals were deadlocked at 1-1 at the end of two overtime periods. Like the Cats, the Great Danes also had eight players on the All-America East Teams – highlighted by Afonso Pinheiro and Daniel Krutzen on the All-Conference First Team. Pinheiro is tied for third in the league with seven goals and ranks fourth with 18 points. Krutzen handed out six assists to lead the conference. In America East play, goalie Danny Vitiello recorded a 0.48 goals-against average and posted a .906 save percentage to top his peers in both categories.
INSIDE THE PLAYOFF SERIES
The Cats and Great Danes will meet in the America East Semifinal for the second straight season and the fifth time in the last seven years. Vermont will be looking to reach the win column for the second time against Albany during postseason play. In 2014, the Catamounts completed a 2-1 comeback victory over the Great Danes in the Capital City.
AMERICA EAST CHAMPIONSHIP
The winner of this game will face either No. 2 seed UMass Lowell or No. 3 seed New Hampshire in the America East Championship Game on Sunday (Nov. 12).
