MEN'S SOCCER NOTEBOOK
Vermont (4-3) continues its six-game road trip with a visit to twin state rival Dartmouth (4-2) on Saturday (Sept. 23) at 4 p.m. Fans can follow all of the action in the Granite State with video and live stats by clicking the links below. The game will be streamed live on a pay-per-view basis on the Ivy League Digital Network.
RELATED LINKS
Dartmouth: Video ($$) | Live Stats
Power Rankings: N.E. Soccer Journal | Top Drawer Soccer | United Soccer Coaches
UVM ATHLETICS E-NEWS | Sign Up
Want all of the latest news and updates from UVM Athletics delivered straight to your inbox? In an attempt to verify all of the emails in our system, we encourage all Catamount fans (including past subscribers) to visit
UVMathletics.com/enews to choose the specific sports you'd like to follow. The sign-up process is free and will take less than a minute. We look forward to delivering the very best content to you all season long.
CATAMOUNT SCORE ALERTS | Sign Up
Can't make it to the game? Receive the final score in real time delivered directly to your mobile device through text alerts. Sign up today for any of your favorite Catamount teams at the link above. Message and data rates may apply.
SETTING THE SCENE
The Catamounts come into the weekend with 31 points (11 goals, 9 assists) under their belt, which is tied for the fourth-highest scoring offense in America East.
Geo Alves sits atop of the conference scoring list with 13 points (6 goals, 1 assist) and his six goals are tied for the fifth-most in Division I. The Green and Gold also have a trio on the league's top distribution list –
Tom Cole is tied for third in America East with three assists while
Justin Freitas and
Jon Arnar Barðdal are tied for fifth with a pair of assists. Netminder
Aron Runarsson averages 4.50 saves per game which ranks second among America East keepers.
LAST TIME OUT
UVM scored two goals in the second half and handed UC Riverside a 2-0 defeat last Sunday in the final contest of its weekend trip in California. The Green and Gold broke through with the first goal of the afternoon in the 53rd minute. Cole tossed a throw-in towards the box to Freitas, who headed a pass into the center of the box and Barðdal hit a one-timer into the back of the net. Alves provided an insurance goal for the Cats in the 88th minute. He dribbled past midfield and passed out wide to Freitas on the right side. Freitas beat his defender towards the end line and sent a low pass back to Alves in the six-yard box where the 5-8 forward finished inside of the near post.
NEW ENGLAND SOCCER JOURNAL POWER RANKINGS
Vermont and Dartmouth are two of the top teams in the region, according to the New England Soccer Journal's Power Rankings. The Big Green are locked in at No. 3 and UVM follows at No. 7. Saturday's contest will also feature two of the top players in the Journal's Player Rankings. Dartmouth senior defender Wyatt Omsberg is the No. 1 rated player while Alves is close behind in fourth place.
SCOUTING DARTMOUTH
After suffering back-to-back 1-0 shutouts at top-ranked Michigan State and Michigan to begin the season, the Big Green have rebounded with four straight clean sheets. Dartmouth is receiving votes in this week's Top Drawer Soccer Top-25 Poll and also jumped to No. 9 in the United States East Regional Poll on Tuesday. Senior midfielder Matt Danilack and junior midfieder Justin Donawa lead the team with five points apiece. Danilack has notched a pair of goals and dealt an assist while Donawa has handed out three assists and scored the game-winner against UMass Lowell on Wednesday. Freshman goalie Christopher Palacios owns the third-lowest goals-against average in the country at 0.182. In addition, Palacious ranks in the top-15 nationally in save percentage (.889) and shutouts (4).
INSIDE THE SERIES
The twin state rivals have faced each other on an annual basis since the series began in 1977. The two programs have met twice in the NCAA Tournament - 1990 and 2007 as both matches needed penalty kicks to decide a winner. The Cats are 13-20-7 against the Ivy League rival but despite trailing in the all-time series, UVM has forced at least an extra session in three out of the last four meetings. Last year, the game resulted in a 1-1 double overtime draw in the grand opening of the Virtue Field grandstands.
WHO'S NEXT
Vermont heads to another Ivy League rival, Harvard, on Tuesday (Sept. 26) with a 5 p.m. kickoff. The game will be streamed live on a pay-per-view basis on the
Ivy League Digital Network.
