BURLINGTON, Vt. – Karen Wallace scored twice for the Catamounts as they overcame an early 1-0 deficit to defeat the four-seed UAlbany 3-1 in an America East Semifinal Thursday night at Virtue Field. With the win Vermont will host the America East Championship Sunday, November 7 at 2 p.m. The Catamounts will face the six-seed New Hampshire in the title game.
 
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Postgame Press Conference: Coach Huizenga | Wallace
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"Tonight was an incredible night and atmosphere at Virtue," Head Coach Kristi Huizenga said. "I thought we did well to stay composed after we went down on the early PK and our subs brought great energy. Karen and Alex scored some incredible goals and the backs and Lydia were solid yet again. UAlbany is a very athletic team and our midfield played a huge role in helping us cover and slow down counters. We are beyond grateful to our fellow teams at UVM, staff, and community for turning out tonight to show us support."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Great Danes opened the scoring in the 21st minute after earning a penalty kick. UAlbany's Olivia Piraino beat a UVM defender with a quick move to the outside and was taken down just inside the 18. Jasmine Colbert took the penalty for the Great Danes. She fired a shot to her left that Vermont's Lydia Kessel got a hand on, but it deflected off Kessel's hand and the post and in for Colbert's ninth goal of the campaign.
• In the 34th minute Kessel made a game-changing stop. Colbert broke in alone looking to double the UA lead and Kessel came out to meet her and swallow the opportunity up before quickly restarting play. Kessel tossed the ball up to Ella Bankert and UVM broke in transition.
• Bankert found Jill Brody out the outside and she raced through the midfield causing a UAlbany defender to fall over before playing a through ball to Kate Bossert. Bossert played a ball into the box and Wallace beat a UAlbany defender in the air and headed it home for the equalizer. From Kessel's save to Wallace's goal it was just 34 seconds.
• Alex West put the Catamounts ahead in the 52nd minute with her third goal of the season. From along the sideline Alexa Mihale sent in a free kick that evaded three UAlbany defenders and bounced just in front of the Great Danes goalkeeper Cassandra Coster. West pounced on the opportunity and was first to the ball poking it in past a diving Coster.
• Wallace scored her second of the night in the 65th minute to put the game out of reach for the Great Danes. Once again it was a set piece that drove the UVM offense. Natalie Durieux placed a corner kick into the middle of the box and Wallace redirected it into the far corner on the volley to earn her first career two-goal game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Catamounts current eight-game win streak is its longest since 1979 when Vermont opened the season with 13 straight wins.
• With the win, tonight Lydia Kessel is now tied for second all-time in single season wins with 10. Jennifer Starr posted back-to-back-to-back 10-win campaigns from 1987-89. A win Sunday would match the program record held by Paula LaMothe (1984). Kessel is also tied for eighth all-time at Vermont now with 14 career wins.
• With today's win, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to Vermont Foodbank as part of the Cats Win, Community Wins initiative. Vermont Mutual has committed to donating $15,000 to Vermont Foodbank for the 2021 season. A special thank you to Vermont Mutual Insurance for their support. Vermont Mutual Insurance, protecting Vermonters since 1828.

WHO'S NEXT
Vermont will face New Hampshire at 2 p.m. on Sunday, November 7 as the Catamounts host the America East title game for the first time in program history. Tickets for the championship are $8 for adults, $5 for youth ages 14 and under and $2 for non-UVM America East students with a valid school ID. UVM students will receive free admission. Click here to buy now.