MEN'S SOCCER NOTEBOOK
Eighth-ranked Vermont (13-3-2, 5-1-1 AE) hosts Quinnipiac (13-4-3, 6-2-2 MAAC) in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday (Nov. 17) at Virtue Field. The opening kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and will broadcast live on ESPN+ with Rob Ryan on the call. Tickets are available for purchase at UVMathletics.com/Tickets or by visiting the Gutterson Fieldhouse Box Office on gameday.
 
RELATED LINKS
Watch | Live Stats | Tickets
CatamounTV Press Conference: Coach Dow | Nagy
 
CATS HOST AGAIN
The Catamounts host an NCAA Tournament game at Virtue Field for the second consecutive season. Vermont battled Villanova in the First Round a season ago, but suffered a 1-0 loss on a penalty kick by the Wildcats. UVM is in search of its first NCAA Tournament win since 2016, when Brian Wright (3 goals, 1 assist) led the Catamounts to a 4-1 victory over Rider.
 
CATS IN THE TOURNAMENT
UVM's NCAA Tournament berth is its 12th in program history. The Catamounts are 4-10-2 in tournament history with its deepest run coming in 1989 when Vermont beat UConn and Yale, before falling to Rutgers in the regional finals. UVM has played in four tournament games since 2015, which includes a trip to the Second Round in 2016.
 
SCOUTING THE BOBCATS
Quinnipiac earned its NCAA Tournament berth by beating Iona 3-2 in the MAAC Championship on Sunday (Nov. 13). Alexander Stjernegaard assisted on all three goals for the Bobcats with Tomas Svecula scoring the clinching tally. Stjernegaard was the MAAC Rookie of the Year with 20 points (4 goals, 12 assists). David Bercedo led the Quinnipiac attack with 35 points (14 goals, 7 assists) to earn the league's Golden Boot award. The Bobcats enter Thursday night's contest ranked No. 66 in the RPI.
 
VGFC CONNECTION
Several Catamounts and Bobcats called Virtue Field home in the offseason as members of the Vermont Green FC. UVM's Nate Silveira, Garrett Lillie, Joe Morrison, Ryan Combe, Nolan Jimmo, Daniel Pacella, and Karl Daly played for the Green with Quinnipiac's Brage Aasen and Sam McCann.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Catamounts and Bobcats meet for the fifth time in series history and the second time this season. Quinnipiac has a 2-1-1 edge in the series, taking a 2-0 victory at Virtue Field in Vermont's home opener.
 
CATS VS. CATS
The Catamounts are 2-1 this season against feline mascots. Vermont has wins over the New Hampshire Wildcats (W, 1-0 on Oct. 29) and the Princeton Tigers (W, 2-0 on Sep. 5). Vermont's lone loss coming to the Bobcats in August.
 
Able Paint Glass & Flooring is the presenting sponsor of Vermont men's soccer