Battle of the 'Cats in Binghamton on March 28 (ESPN+)

UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE WOMEN'S SOCCER
UNH (5-1-0, 2-1-0 America East) at Binghamton (1-1-0, 1-1-0 America East)
Sunday, March 28 | 1 p.m.
Bearcats Sports Complex | Vestal, N.Y.

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UNH Women's Soccer Home Page | Binghamton Women's Soccer Home Page

THE MATCHUP | CLICK HERE to view series history, boxes & recaps

New Hampshire has an 11-6-6 lifetime record against Binghamton University that includes 4-1-3 in road matches.
These programs met twice at Wildcat Stadium in the 2019 season with the Bearcats prevailing 2-0 in the regular season and UNH ousting Binghamton from the America East tournament with a 3-2 win in the quarterfinals.
UNH has a 6-1-3 edge the past 10 meetings with an eight-match unbeaten streak of 5-0-3 spanning the 2012-18 seasons. Five of the Wildcats' wins in that 10-game stretch were by one goal.
The Wildcats have won each of the past three matchups in Vestal and are 5-0-2 the past seven. Binghamton's most recent home win vs. UNH was Oct. 5, 2006 (1-0).

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

UNH enters Sunday's game with a 5-1-0 record that includes 0-1-0 on the road and 2-1-0 in America East (0-1-0 in America East road games).
The Wildcats recorded the best start in program history by starting the season with four consecutive wins.
That winning streak was snapped March 14 at UMass Lowell (2-0 loss), but the 'Cats responded with a 2-1 double overtime win against Vermont last Sunday (March 21).
UNH never trailed during its four-game winning streak but has fallen behind 1-0 each of the past two games (at UMass Lowell; vs. Vermont).
This season marked the fourth time in seven years under coach Welham that New Hampshire was unbeaten through the first three games; the Wildcats were 1-0-2 in both 2015 and 2016.
The 'Cats christened the Spring 2021 season with a 2-0 win vs. Northeastern (Feb. 14), then upended Merrimack College, 5-1 (Feb. 24), Rhode Island, 2-0 (Feb. 28) and Maine (1-0, OT, March 7).

WILDCATS RALLY PAST CATAMOUNTS | Box | Recap | Highlights

With New Hampshire trailing 1-0, freshman Anna Hewlett scored with 3:42 remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime, and Keegan Mayer scored with 5:38 remaining in the second extra session to give the Wildcats a 2-1 victory against the University of Vermont last Sunday at Wildcat Stadium.
UVM took a 1-0 lead in the 16^th minute and held onto that one-goal lead for more than 70 minutes.
UNH recorded a 9-4 shot advantage in the second half and broke through with the equalizing goal in the 87^th minute when Hewlett powered a header into the upper-left corner. Ella Dudley, with the service into the box, and Francesca Picicci were credited with the assists.
The Wildcats carried that momentum into overtime with a 4-0 shot advantage in the first extra session, but the game continued into a second OT.
New Hampshire converted a corner kick into a game-winning goal in the 105^th minute. Hewlett's service from the left corner was headed down by a UVM defender, but Mayer stepped into a left-footed rocket from 15 yards that sailed under the crossbar to end the game, 2-1.
Cat Sheppard finished with seven saves, all of which came in regulation with four in the first half and three in the second.

'CAT NIPS

Anna Hewlett and Keegan Mayer – both freshmen -- scored their first career goal last Sunday against Vermont.
Freshman back Ella Dudley recorded her first career point with the primary assist on Hewlett's goal.
The seven-save effort by junior goalie Cat Sheppard was one less than her career high of eight recorded the previous week at UMass Lowell.

CLEAN SHEETS AND SHUTOUT STREAKS

UNH has recorded shutout streaks of 237:31 (Feb. 24- March 14) and 140:30 (Feb. 14-24) this season; the former included back-to-back shutouts of Rhode Island and Maine, and ended March 14 at UMass Lowell when the River Hawks scored in the 14^th minute.
New Hampshire recorded three clean sheets in the first four games. The last time the Wildcats shut out three of the first four opponents was 2016.
UNH's one goal allowed in the first four games was the fewest since that '16 squad also surrendered one goal through four games.
The Wildcats were blanked for the first (and only) time this season March 14 at UMass Lowell.
The 'Cats and goalie Cat Sheppard have not allowed a goal in 74:47.

SHEPPARD'S EIGHT SHUTOUTS

Junior goalie Cat Sheppard, a two-time America East Defensive Player of the Week honoree this season, recorded her second consecutive shutout, third of the season and eighth career with two saves in UNH's 1-0 overtime win against Maine on March 7.
Sheppard's shutout streak of 216 minutes, 49 seconds ended March 14 UMass Lowell when the River Hawks scored in the 14^th minute; it is the third-longest shutout streak of her career.
She tallied her seventh career shutout with a two-save effort in the Wildcats' 2-0 win vs. Rhode Island on Feb. 28.
Sheppard tallied her sixth career clean sheet with a three-save effort in UNH's 1-0 victory against Northeastern at Wildcat Stadium on Feb. 14.
Sheppard shut out five opponents in the 2019 season with back-to-back shutouts twice; her longest shutout streak is 260:17, and her second longest is 250:50.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

New Hampshire has scored 11 goals in six games for an average of 1.83 goals per game and has surrendered just four goals, which is 0.67 goals per game.
UNH is averaging 13.0 shots per game with 46 of its 78 shots on target (59.0%). In comparison, the opponents are averaging 8.2 shots with 27 of 49 on goal (55.1%).
The Wildcats average 6.5 corners per game and the opponents average 3.7.
UNH is 2-0-0 in overtime games this season.
The 'Cats are 3-0 in games decided by one goal, and that includes the pair of overtime wins.

CONFERENCE CALL

New Hampshire sits atop the America East leaderboard in corner kicks per game (6.50).
UNH ranks second in both scoring average (1.83 goals per game) and scoring defense (0.67 goals per game).
The Wildcats' five goals against Merrimack (Feb. 25) are tied for the highest total by a conference team this season.

CONFERENCE LEADERBOARD

With four goals allowed in 538 minutes, Sheppard ranks second in America East with a 0.669 goals-against-average. Sheppard is #3 in save percentage at .846 (22 saves; 4 GA).
Picicci ranks #3 in the conference in shots on goal per game (1.50) and is #10 in shots per game (2.33).
Picicci and sophomore Whitney Wiley are tied for second with three goals. Wiley is atop the leaderboard in points per game (1.75), followed by Picicci at 1.33 points per game.
Picicci is tied with freshmen Emily Bini and Anna Hewlett for the lead (with seven other players) at two assists.
Logan Nicholson, another freshman, is tied with Picicci at 10^th in shots per game (2.33).

WILDCAT NOTEBOOK

Nine Wildcats have started every game.
Freshman back Ella Dudley has played all 558 minutes. Alivia Kelly, another freshman back, is next at 541 minutes.
Picicci is atop the UNH leaderboard with eight points; she is tied for the lead in both goals (three) and assists (two). She is the only 'Cat with 10+ shots (14).
Wiley is the other Wildcat with three goals, and she ranks second in points (seven) despite missing the past two matches.
Picicci scored a goal three consecutive games against Merrimack, Rhode Island and Maine (Feb. 25 to March 7). She has tallied a point in 4 of 6 games.
Emily Bini tallied an assist back-to-back matches vs. URI and Maine, and she is tied for the team lead in assists with fellow freshman Anna Hewlett, who tallied an assist the first two games of the season.
With the absence of Wiley at UMass Lowell, freshman forward Logan Nicholson made her first career start; she recorded two shots (both on goal) in playing all 90 minutes. Nicholson also made the start and played 99 minutes in the double-OT win vs. UVM; she recorded three shots (one on goal).

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

New Hampshire opened the Spring 2021 season with four consecutive home games and won all four. The Wildcats are 5-0-0 at Wildcat Stadium.
Dating back to the 2019 season, UNH has won eight consecutive home games.
Spanning the 2019 and Spring 2021 seasons, UNH is 11-3-0 at home.
The Wildcats' most recent loss in Durham was Oct. 13, 2019 (2-0 to UAlbany).

REVAMPED ROSTER

UNH's Spring 2021 team, led by seventh-year head coach Steve Welham, has a very different looking roster from the one that went 10-8-0, scored 28 goals (the most by UNH since '07), shut out six opponents and advanced to the America East semifinals in the 2019 season.
This year's roster is comprised of three seniors, four juniors, five sophomores and 12 freshmen.

THE CAPTAINS

Seniors Casey Peterson and Picicci are the captains.
Peterson is one of three returning starters. The midfield/forward played in 16 of 18 games, was in the starting lineup 15 times and played 1,312 of a possible 1,621 minutes. She tallied one point on an assist and a total of nine shots. Peterson has 30 starts the past two seasons.
Picicci, a forward/midfield player, saw action in all 18 games and was in the starting lineup once (Sept. 29 at Binghamton University); she played a total of 440 minutes.

WILDCATS RECEIVE A PAIR OF WEEK 3 CONFERENCE AWARDS

Junior goalkeeper Cat Sheppard and freshman midfielder Emily Bini were named the America East Defensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week, respectively, this past Tuesday.
The duo led New Hampshire to a 1-0 overtime win in last Sunday's America East conference opener at Wildcat Stadium.
Sheppard was credited with two saves to record the clean sheet vs. Maine and extend her shutout streak to 203 minutes, 7 seconds.
Bini's thru ball set up the only goal of the game – the golden goal in the 95^th minute. Bini controlled the ball at midfield and sent a pass behind three Maine defenders to spring Francesca Picicci, who won the race to the loose ball and scored into the open net.

WILDCATS RECEIVE A PAIR OF WEEK 2 CONFERENCE AWARDS

Wiley and freshman back Alivia Kelly were named the America East Offensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week, respectively, on March 2.
Wiley scored a total of three goals, including two game-winning tallies, and an assist for seven points as UNH defeated Merrimack, 5-1, on Feb. 24 and URI, 2-0, on Feb. 28.
She matched her career high of two goals and also had an assist for a personal-best five points against Merrimack.
It is the first career conference Player of the Week award for Wiley.
Kelly anchored UNH's backline as the Wildcats allowed a total of four shots on goal and one goal. The 'Cats yielded five shots – two on goal – vs. Merrimack. And with Kelly once again directing the defensive unit against URI, the Rams recorded seven shots and once again only two were on goal.

ALIVIA KELLY RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION

Freshman back Alivia Kelly was named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com Women's Team of the Week: Feb. 9-15. She scored the game's only goal in a 1-0 victory against Northeastern University on Feb. 14 and helped the Wildcats record a clean sheet by limiting the Huskies to six shots (three on goal).

SHEPPARD RECEIVES CONFERENCE HONOR IN FIRST WEEKLY AWARDS

Junior goalkeeper Cat Sheppard was named America East Defensive Player of the Week on Feb. 23. Sheppard stopped all three shots on goal to backbone UNH to a 1-0 season-opening victory against Northeastern University at Wildcat Stadium on Feb. 14. She was credited with two saves in the first half and maintained the clean sheet with one more save in the final 45 minutes.

UNH PICKED FIFTH IN AMERICA EAST PRESEASON POLL

The University of New Hampshire women's soccer team was picked fifth in the Spring 2021 America East Women's Soccer Preseason Poll that was released Feb. 10.
Stony Brook University received all nine possible first-place votes and a total of 81 points in the poll. The University of Hartford received the other first-place vote and 70 points. The third through sixth spots were separated by 11 points with UAlbany (58 points) followed by UMass Lowell (53), UNH (50) and Binghamton University (47).

WHO'S IN OUR DIVISION

The America East conference is split into two divisions this season. UNH is in Division A with Hartford, Maine, UMass Lowell and Vermont. Division B is comprised of UAlbany, Binghamton, UMBC, NJIT and Stony Brook.
The top two teams in each division qualify for the America East Women's Soccer Championship, which will be held at the tournament's top seed April 15 & 17.

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UNH ATHLETICS COVID-19 SPECTATOR POLICY | CLICK HERE to read more

UNH Athletics is currently permitting a limited number of undergraduate student spectators to the March 2021 UNH athletics events at Wildcat Stadium.
Attendance at Wildcat Stadium is strictly limited to UNH-Durham undergraduate students.
Members of the general public are not permitted to attend any UNH Athletics events for the safety of all UNH students, student-athletes, and essential staff working events.
There are no tickets available for visiting teams or families of UNH student-athletes for events at Wildcat Stadium.
Students interested in attending events at Wildcat Stadium must set up a student ticket account in order to claim an electronic ticket for a specific event and assigned seat in advance.

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