Vermont Runs Past UNH to America East Title Game

Catamounts Will Face Binghamton in Final

November 15, 2007

BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Vermont men’s soccer team continued its improbable run to the America East Championship, beating New Hampshire, 2-0, Wednesday to advance to the conference title game in a season that started with three wins in 11 games.

The win extended the Catamounts’ unbeaten streak to six games (4-0-2) and earned them a date at top-seeded Binghamton in the America East final Saturday. Despite starting the season a dismal 3-8, the Catamounts are now one win away from an implausible NCAA Tournament berth.

"Obviously I am extremely proud of all the guys to come back the way they have this season and have another shot to play for the conference championship, Vermont coach Jesse Cormier told UVM Athletics. “This is an important time of year for everyone to step up and they really have.”

A goal and an assist by Lee Stephane Kouadio and another strong defensive effort led Vermont (8-9-2) to the title game for the second straight season and the seventh time in program history.

Vermont's stingy team defense led by goalkeeper Roger Scully (East Lyme, Conn.) recorded its sixth straight shutout, all against America East foes. The feat was even more impressive considering The Catamounts picked up a red card in the early going and they were forced to play with 10 men for the remaining 78 minutes of the contest.

But backs Connor Tobin, Panos Georgiadis (Morrisville, Vt.), Jake McFadden (Colchester, Vt.) and Will Haywood (Newton, Mass.) stepped up and Kouadio gave UVM the offensive spark it needed.

Just 40 seconds after checking into the contest midway through the first half, Kouadio opened the scoring converting a crossing pass from Justin Geibel (Boxford, Mass.) with a low drive off UNH keeper Mike Jenne and into the net in the 23rd minute.

“Today may not have been our best overall effort but we did what it takes to be successful to beat a tough UNH team,” Cormier said. “We really have to give credit from the leadership we have received from our back line and in goal. We were down a man early today and they took charge."

Kouadio also set up a goal by Marty Galvin (Weymouth, Mass.) just over three minutes before halftime. The junior forward lobbed a cross from the right side into the goalmouth and Galvin, who had also just checked into the contest, headed it off the crossbar and down just over the line for his first goal of the season.

Kouadio now has notched the game-winner in three of Vermont's last four games. He also scored the deciding goal to defeat UNH, 1-0, in the semifinals of last season's conference tournament. His goal was his team-high fourth of the season and Geibel is now tied for the team lead with four assists.

With 15 minutes to play, Scully made a diving stop of Mike Davis' header after a UNH cormer kick. Scully made four saves in recording his seventh shutout of the season and the 15th of his career. Jenne did not make a save for the Wildcats, which finished at 5-5-9 on the season.

In the other semifinal, Binghamton used a first-half goal to hold off fifth-seeded UMBC to move on to the finals, a rematch of last season's title game won by the Bearcats over Vermont, 1-0, in overtime. UVM will be looking for its fourth conference title and its first since 2000. Kick off Saturday night is 7:00pm at the Bearcats Sports Complex.

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