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Preview of the 2024 UVM women's soccer season

tabnews August 15, 2024
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The Vermont women's soccer team opens the 2024 season on Saturday with a trip to a familiar place for head coach Kristi Huizenga: her alma mater, Connecticut.

It will be the first time since 2012 that Huizenga, a star player for the Huskies in the early 2000s, has brought the Catamounts to UConn.

Vermont is excited about the opportunity to face an elite team like UConn to kick off a 17-game regular season.

“I think everyone is a little nervous, but it's more excitement than anything,” said midfielder Bailey Ayer. “I'm from Connecticut, so it's going to be really fun to play in my home state again.”

Last year, the Catamounts finished the season with a record of 10-7-1. Vermont reached the America East Conference semifinals for the ninth time in program history, but lost 2-1 to No. 2 seed Maine.

UVM women's soccer team ranks fifth in America East preseason poll

The Catamounts are projected to finish fifth in the America East preseason poll. Maine secured the top spot after eight first-place finishes, while Binghamton received the other first-place finish. The Bearcats are projected to finish second. Here's the entire preseason poll.

  • 1. Maine
  • 2. Binghamton
  • 3. New Hampshire
  • 4. University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • 5. Vermont
  • 6. NJIT
  • T7. University of Albany
  • T7 Bryant
  • 9. University of California

Huizenga: Vermont's football team wants to “win the day”

While the Catamounts' ultimate goal this year is to finish at the top as America East tournament winners, they also have a smaller goal in mind.

“Smaller goals are just to win the day, which is our team motto this year, and just making sure we can give it our all every single day, every practice and every game from now on,” said forward and graduate student Jill Brody.

Huizenga also praised the new freshmen and believes they will be a strong addition to the team. Many freshmen played in Tuesday's practice match against the University of Montreal, including Morgan Barry at center back, Ella Hall and Farrah Yaacoub in central midfield and Della Weir in the attacking line.

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Although Vermont did not emerge as the winner on Tuesday, losing 1-0 to the University of Montreal, Huizenga was able to take several positive aspects from the practice game.

“We've spent a lot of time on our defensive lineup and it was really encouraging to see the new players today being able to do some very difficult things under pressure in a completely new environment,” Huizenga said. “(I also saw) that the leadership of the older players helps organize that during the course of the game when there are no timeouts, which is crucial.”

Vermont soccer players Kate Bossert and Bailey Ayer return as offensive linemen

Vermont is typically known for its goal-scoring prowess. The Catamounts scored the second most goals in the league last season with 34, three fewer than Maine.

That scoring power is back, as veteran forwards Kate Bossert and Ayer are the stars of the America East Preseason All-Conference team. Both Bossert and Ayer are coming off career seasons. Bossert led the team with 22 points from 10 goals and two assists, while Ayer contributed five goals and five assists for 15 points.

Vermont Soccer has a new goalkeeper for the 2024 season

The Catamounts will also have a new goalie this season after Erin Murphy graduated. Murphy started 13 games for Vermont last season, stopping 61 shots and allowing 18 goals. This season, Vermont has four options in goal, including veteran Kylee Carafoli, who started five games last fall.

More: Celebrating Women's Sports: How the Vermont Green FC Women Made a Stunning Debut

According to Huizenga, no one has an advantage in the competition for starting goalie. The competition is currently wide open and she expects all four goalies to play in the early stages of the season until the Catamounts get settled.

“Kylee Carafoli is our most experienced returning goalkeeper in terms of playing time, so we definitely expect a lot from her, but the rest of the goaltending unit is very strong as well,” Huizenga said.

Whichever goalie starts, she will have an excellent defender to back her up in senior Maddy Cronin. The Atlanta native is the third Catamount to make the Preseason All-Conference Team after earning America East Second Team honors last season. Cronin started all 18 games for the Catamounts and anchored a defense that conceded 23 goals.

Contact Judith Altneu at [email protected]. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.

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