Men’s Soccer: UVM and UNH Share Regular Season Title After 1-1 Standoff

Posted on , updated on by George Commo

Courtesy Vermont Sports Information

DURHAM, N.H. — The Vermont men’s soccer team earned a share of the America East regular season championship with a 1-1 draw at 18th-ranked New Hampshire on Wednesday night. The Catamounts finish the regular season with an 11-5-1 overall record and a 5-1-1 league mark. Based on the league’s tie-breaking procedures, UNH will be the top overall seed in the conference tournament.

COACH’S QUOTE
“We’re happy to have earned some hardware tonight, but we felt like as the game went on we had chances to win the game that didn’t bounce our way,” head coach Rob Dow said. “Overall, it was a gritty performance by the guys – they showed they can step up in big games. We’ll need this experience as we head into playoffs.”

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Wildcats struck first in the fourth minute. Antonio Colacci took a free kick from 20 yards out and allowed Josh Bauer to leap up for a header in the six-yard box. UVM goalie Aron Runarsson knocked Bauer’s header away, but the ball deflected in front of the net and Jack Doherty tapped the ball into the left side of the net.
Later in the half, UNH came within inches of adding an insurance goal. Off a deep throw-in, James Thomas clanked a strike off the crossbar and Bilal Kamal attempted to finish the rebound but Runarsson picked the ball out of the air for the save.
The Catamounts found the equalizer in the 75th minute with a penalty kick. Rasmus Tobinski drove the game-tying score into the left side of the net after UNH goalie Alejandro Robles dove in the opposite direction.
In the 106th minute, Daði Bærings Halldórsson booted a corner kick to the far post where Ívar Örn Árnason leaped above a defender and headed a ball back towards the left upright but missed wide.

GAME NOTES
Runarsson recorded six saves in the draw.
Tobinski’s goal was his 10th of the season and the freshman moved into a 10th-place tie on UVM’s single-season goals list. He has also netted three goals in his last four games.
The Catamounts won their second regular season conference championship in the last three years and fourth in school history (1989, 2012, 2017).

WHO’S NEXT
Vermont has clinched the No. 2 seed in the upcoming America East Tournament and has earned a first-round bye. UVM will host the winner of No. 3 seed Hartford and No. 6 seed Binghamton on Wednesday (Nov. 13). The opening kickoff is set for 4 p.m. Fans can catch all of the action in HD at CatamounTV.com.