FINAL SCORE: Vermont 1, Sacred Heart 0
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Sophomore forward Natalie Durieux registered her first collegiate goal in the fifth minute of Friday night's contest to guide the Catamounts (1-0, 0-0 AE) to a 1-0 victory over Sacred Heart (0-1, 0-0 NEC) at Virtue Field.
 
RELATED LINKS
CatamounTV Highlights  | Box Score
Postgame: Coach Huizenga | Natalie Durieux
Photo Gallery
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"The game was a little tighter than we would have liked but it's always nice to get a shutout at home especially in the first game," head coach Kristi Huizenga said. "I thought we brought a bit of attacking flare and I thought the goal was very creative."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Durieux directed a pass from Frances O'Donnell over the right shoulder of Pioneers' goalkeeper Elyssa Kipperman (6 saves) for the early strike.
• Sacred Heart nearly answered in the 35^th minute with a deep kick by Meadow Mancini that rattled off the right post. On the rebound, Kathryn White tried to finish with a low line drive by UVM goalie Kacey Lambertson (3 saves) corralled the shot.
• Durieux eyed her second goal of the evening in the 68^th minute but her attempt towards the bottom left corner of the net was stopped by Kipperman.
• In the 79^th minute, Nichol Green fired a shot off the left upright, which sparked chaos in front of the goal. Sacred Heart was awarded a corner kick and Green sent a shot that was swallowed up by Vermont's relief netminder Lydia Kessel (6 saves). 

GAME NOTES

• UVM is unbeaten in its last three season openers (2-0-1).
• Lambertson and Kessel earned the combined clean sheet. Friday night's season-opening shutout is the first of kind for the Cats since 2007.
• O'Donnell's assist is the first of her Catamount career.
• The Catamounts improve to 5-0 all-time against the Pioneers. 
• With the victory, the Cats Win, Community Wins campaign and Vermont Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to Make-A-Wish Vermont; bringing this year's total to 55 wins and $5,500. 

WHO'S NEXT
Vermont will head to Army for a Sunday (Aug. 25) matinee. The opening kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Fans can watch the contest for free on the Patriot League Network.