BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Catamounts (3-1-3) gear up for their first match of a three-match road trip, starting off against MAAC foe Sacred Heart (0-4-1) on Wednesday, Sep. 11 at 6 p.m. ET from Fairfield, CT at Park Ave Field. The match will be Vermont's third road match of the season and will be broadcast live on Pioneers+.
 
RELATED LINKS
Watch Live on Pioneers+ | Live Stats
TDS Women's Team of the Week: September 9
AEWSOC Week 4 Awards
Women's Soccer Sport-Specific Store
 
AYER RECOGNITION

• Topdrawersoccer.com released its Women's Soccer Team of the Week for September 9, featuring Vermont's very own senior midfielder Bailey Ayer as a honorable mention. Ayer was one of two America East players to be mentioned in this week's Team of the Week.
• Ayer has had a dominating start to the season, registering seven goals in seven games. Her seven goals are currently tied for 5th throughout every Division 1 program in the country. She ranks first in the America East conference in goals scored while her shots taken is ranked second and her shots on target is ranked first. She also stands alone at the top of the America East rankings in total points, securing 15 total on her seven goals and one assist. Nationally, Ayer ranks 12th in the total points category.
• Ayer was named America East Offensive Player of the Week after scoring seven points in a 5-0 win over Siena via three goals and one assist, the most points for a Catamount in nearly 20 years. Nikki Hennesy had seven on Sept. 11, 2005. This is Ayer's first career America East Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week honor.

 
VERMONT OUTLOOK

• Bossert had her third career multi goal game after scoring twice against Sienna, her first goals of the season. Bossert ranks 13th overall in goals scored throughout the America East conference and 12th in total points (5). Bossert is also tied for 13th in the AE conference for total shots, earning 13 thus far.
• Graduate student Jill Brody is tied for 11th in the America East conference with 16 shots.
• Senior Tessa Weiss scored the game-winning goal against Holy Cross to secure her first goal of the season, capturing Vermont's second shutout win in a row.
• Vermont has spread the wealth through the first seven games of the season with seven different goal scorers. Ayer leads Vermont with seven goals, including two game winners and one hat-trick. Ayer recorded a goal in five of the first six games of the season. Bossert is tied for second on the team in points with five after registering two goals against Siena and an assist against FDU. Lauren DeGroot is also tied for second on the team in points with three after registering a goal against Saint Anselm and an assist against UConn. Freshman Farrah Yaacoub scored her first career goal against Saint Anselm and Sophomore's Emma Warren and Aubrey Bough each tallied their first career goals, Bough against UConn and Warren versus Boston University. Midfielders Sydney Remington, Elizabeth Sommeling, and Brody each have recorded an assist for Vermont as well.
• Sophomore defender Bridget Kennedy scored her first career point against Siena after recording one assist.
• The Catamounts have outscored opponents this year 14-8, with Vermont having held opponents to an average of 1.14 goals a match.
• Vermont leads the America East in average goals per match, averaging 2 goals a match.
• The Catamounts return four America East All-Conference members from their 2023 squad, Bossert, Ayer, Kennedy, and Maddy Cronin.
• Vermont was picked to finish fifth in the America East 2024 Women's Soccer Preseason Coach's Poll.

 
 
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS

• Sacred Heart is embarking on its first season in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).
• The Pioneers enter Wednesday's matchup with a 0-4-1 record coming off a 2-0 loss versus Quinnipiac on Saturday during their first conference match of the season.
• Through five games Sacred Heart has been outscored 12-5, while holding their opponents to one goal or less just once.
• The Pioneers are led by first year midfielder Rylee McGee who has two of the five goals scored thus far for Sacred Heart and sophomore forward Lyndsey Laperle, who has one goal and two assists so far this season for the Pioneers. Sophomore forward Shea Kelleher leads Sacred Heart in shots, registering 11 thus far.
• Sacred Heart was selected to finish fifth in the MAAC Women's Soccer preseason Coach's Poll, which has been expanded to 13 teams this season. The Pioneers were predicted to finish with 101 total points.
• The Pioneers return a plethora of talent from last season's roster including the triple threat attack of Grace O'Hara, Kelleher and Morgan Bovardi who accumulated a combined 22 goals and 53 points during the 2023 campaign. On defense, the Pioneers return goalkeeper Kyran Thievon who boasted a .96 goals against average and a .837 save percentage while making seven starts in her first-year campaign. 
• The Catamounts hold a 7-0-0 all-time record against Sacred Heart, having won all seven meetings in a row dating back to the 2001 season. Last season, Vermont defeated the Pioneers 2-1 at Virtue Field. After trailing 1-0 in the first half, a penalty kick goal from Bossert in the 59th minute and an 88th minute game-winning goal by Alyssa Oviedo earned the Catamounts their seventh straight victory over Sacred Heart.

 
WOMEN'S SOCCER BSN NIKE STORE OPEN UNTIL 9/16

• University of Vermont Athletics and the University Licensing Department are proud to announce a partnership with Nike and BSN Sports to make sport-specific gear available to our fans at the start of the 2024-25 season! As online stores, access to the sport-specific sites is open 24/7 from today through Monday, Sept. 16. All varsity programs will receive a portion of sales to benefit their specific programs enhancement fund. This provides the unique opportunity for the perfect balance between supporting UVM athletics and purchasing quality athletic apparel. Visit the women's soccer sport-specific store to view and purchase their gear!

 
 
For news and updates about the Vermont women's soccer program, follow @UVMwsoccer on Instagram, X, and Facebook, and visit UVMathletics.com.

New England Federal Credit Union is the presenting sponsor of Vermont soccer