Sheppard Matches Career High of Nine Saves in 3-0 Loss at Vermont

Thursday, October 28

Burlington, Vt.

4 PM

University of New Hampshire

6-8-2, 4-4-1

Vermont

10-5-1, 7-2-0

New Hampshire

Vermont

Sheppard Matches Career High of Nine Saves in 3-0 Loss at Vermont

10/28/2021 8:14:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Wildcats Advance to America East Tournament

BURLINGTON, Vt. – Senior Cat Sheppard (Nesconset, N.Y.) matched her career high of nine saves but the University of New Hampshire women's soccer team was defeated 3-0 by the University of Vermont in Thursday afternoon's regular-season finale at Virtue Field.

Sheppard recorded five saves in the first half and four more in the second to finish with nine. UVM counterpart Lydia Kessel was also credited with nine saves and shared the shutout with Casey McIlhenny, who played the final 3:03. The Catamounts also recorded a team save when back Natalie Durieux stopped a shot from going into the net.

Alexa Mihale (two goals) and Alyssa Oviedo (one goal, one assist) led UVM's offense.

UNH ends the regular season with a 6-8-2 overall record that includes 4-4-1 in America East. The Wildcats have qualified for the America East tournament for the eighth time in as many years under head coach Steve Welham. The Wildcats play their first round game Oct. 31 at NJIT.

UVM, the America East regular-season champions, improve to 10-5-1, 7-2-0.

WSOC_scoreboard at UVM 10.28

FIRST HALF

Vermont scored goals less than three minutes apart – in the 9^th and 12^th minutes – to quickly build a 2-0 lead.
The Catamounts converted the first corner kick of the game into a 1-0 lead on Oviedo's goal at 8:34.
In the 10^th minute, Oviedo's right-footed blast from the top of the box sailed toward the right post, but Sheppard made a leaping save to keep the margin at one goal.
Mihale finished the feed from Oviedo to extend the lead to 2-0 at 11:28.
Vermont was awarded a penalty kick at 18:55. The Catamounts, who entered the game 2-for-2 on PKs, were denied when Mihale's shot toward the right post was stopped by Sheppard.
The rebound was corralled by Oviedo and her strike five yards from the right post was also stopped by Sheppard.
UNH generated a dangerous scoring chance in the 28^th minute that started and ended with sophomore Ella Dudley (St. Augustine, Fla.). Dudley left the ball inside of midfield for classmate Emily Bini (Guilderland, N.Y.), who advanced 10 yards before serving a diagonal service to freshman Meghan Guarente (Sewell, N.J.) near the right post.
Guarente and Kessel both went to the ground after colliding. Dudley ran onto the ball, and her shot from pointblank range was stopped by Duriuex at the right post to deny the goal.
In the 36^th minute, sophomore Logan Nicholson (St. Augustine, Fla.) served the ball from the right wing into the middle of the box. Positioned between two defenders, Anna Hewlett (Webster, N.Y.) flicked a header low to the right post that Kessel scurried to secure.
UVM recorded a 12-6 shot advantage, including 7-3 on goal, in the opening 45 minutes.

SECOND HALF

Vermont increased the advantage to 3-0 at 48:15 on Mihale's second goal of the game.
In the 51^st minute, Nicholson's chip shot from the top-right corner of the box was earmarked for the upper-left corner of the net, but Kessel made a leaping save.
In the 63^rd minute, UVM's Bailey Ayer ran onto a through ball and one-touched a shot to the bottom-left corner, but Sheppard made a diving save.
UNH outshot the hosts 6-1 in the final 27 minutes.
In the 74^th minute, Hewlett slipped a pass ahead to senior Julie Cane (Titusville, N.J.), whose low, right-footed blast was blocked by Kessel, who had charged from her line to make the save.
With a late push to attempt to cut into the deficit, UNH recorded a 9-7 shot advantage (7-5 on goal) with a 7-1 edge in corner kicks in the second half.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Vermont finished with a 19-15 shot advantage that included 12-10 on goal.
UNH had more corners (8-3).
Five Wildcats tied for the team lead with two shots apiece; they were Cane, Dudley, Guarente, sophomore Alivia Kelly (Pembroke, Mass.) and Nicholson.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Each of the last six regular-season games ended with a team being shut out. UNH recorded four clean sheets and was held scoreless twice in that span.
Sheppard established her career high of nine saves March 28, 2021 at Binghamton University (1-0 loss).

SERIES NOTEBOOK