FINAL SCORE: Vermont 2, No. 13 Stanford 1 (ot) | Box Score | Photo Gallery
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Newcomer
Nick O'Neill (Peoria, Ill.) headed in a cross from
Connor O'Brien (Richmond, Vt.) in the 97th minute to lift the Vermont Catamounts past No. 13 ranked Stanford, 2-1, in overtime at Centennial Field on Thursday. The match was the season opener for both teams.
The win marks the second straight season the Catamount have knocked off a ranked opponent on its home field. UVM defeated No. 18 UMBC, 3-1, last season.
"The guys battled back. I thought they fought hard all game. I thought it was a fair result, the guys deserved it," said Vermont head coach Jesse Cormier.
"It's a credit to them and the work they've put in throughout the year. We've been waiting to get back on the field for months after enduring a disappointing season last year. Today was a breath of fresh air and we couldn't wait to get back and have a chance to prove ourselves."
Stanford opened the scoring in the 17th minute when a corner kick from Dominique Yahyavi squirted through a scrum of players in front of the net and teammate Adam Jahn was opportunistic one-timing a low shot through UVM goalkeeper
Xan Rousselle (Morrisville, Vt.)
The Cardinal would take the 1-0 lead into the locker room despite being out shot 6-4 by the Catamounts.
Vermont kept working its attacks and holding off Stanford in the second half. The Catamounts finally broke through with the equalizer in the 68th minute.
Teddy Vallee (South Burlington, Vt.) slipped a ball past the Stanford defense to teammate
Juan Peralta (Queens, N.Y.). Peralta was able to beat Stanford goalkeeper Jason Dodson with a low shot to the far corner from inside the six-yard line.
The two teams had other scoring chances in the final minutes of regulation, including a bid by the Cardinal that was stopped with a sliding foot save by Rousselle, but neither team could find the go-ahead goal.
In the extra time, O'Brien sent a cross from the right wing into the penalty box and O'Neill, a transfer from Creighton, was there with a head flick for the game-winner and his first career goal as a Catamount.
"Connor O'Brien came down the right side. He played a perfect ball to the near post and I made that run and all I really had to do was flick it in," said O'Neill.
"Connor whipped a great ball into Nick, who positioned himself well. It was a perfect goal and a perfect way to end a game," said Cormier.
The Catamounts out shot Stanford 11-8 in the match. Rousselle, a graduate student who came to UVM after earning a degree at Quinnipiac University and has one year of eligibility, finished the game with four stops. Dodson was credited with three stops for Stanford.
Vermont opens the season at 1-0, while Stanford falls to 0-1.
The Catamounts return to action this weekend when they travel to the UNH Nike Fall Classic in Durham, N.H. UVM takes on Central Connecticut on September 4 at 5 p.m. and then faces Wisconsin-Milwaukee on September 6 at 11 a.m.