VERMONT WOMEN'S SOCCER NOTEBOOK
The Vermont women's soccer team opens up the 2015 campaign on the road for the first time since 2011. The Catamounts head to New York City to face Manhattan in the season opener on Friday night (7 p.m.) and also play at Iona on Sunday (1 p.m.).
 
RELATED LINKS
CatamounTV Feature: Preseason in Stowe
Burlington Free Press Preview & Look at the Newcomers
Manhattan Game Coverage – Live Stats | Video ($$)
Iona Game Coverage – Live Stats | Video ($$)
 
PRESEASON RESULTS
Vermont played a pair of preseason games to prep for the year. The Catamounts recorded to a 1-1 draw with Colgate and posted a 5-1 victory over the University of Montreal.
 
PRESEASON POLL
Defending America East Champion New Hampshire is the favorite to repeat in the America East Preseason Poll. The Wildcats earned 63 points and seven first-place votes. The Catamounts were picked to finish eighth in the league.
 
RUSSELL PROMOTED TO ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH
Jason Russell, who begins his fifth season on the UVM sidelines, was promoted to associate head coach in May. He has been with the Catamounts since 2011.
 
NEWCOMERS
Six newcomers join the program for the 2015 season – Casey Garfinkel, Savana Yurick, Clarissa Gold, Jordyn Klapper, Aly Maneri and Anna Keimel. Click here to read more about them.
 
ABOUT MANHATTAN
The Japsers, 8-8-2 in 2014, were picked to finish sixth in the MAAC Preseason Poll. Manhattan returns eight starters from last year's team that missed making the MAAC Tournament. Goalkeeper Kristen Skonieczny highlights the returners. She tied the school record for wins (8) and posted four shutouts. Also returning for the Jaspers are last year's all-rookie selections Emily Center and Nicole Aylmer, along with Sam Washuk (3 goals 2014) and Eric Modena (6 goals 2013).
 
Vermont and Manhattan have met only once before, on September 28, 2002. The Jaspers came away with a 2-0 win in Burlington.
 
ABOUT IONA
The Gales posted a record of 6-10-3 in 2014 and were picked to finish seventh in the MAAC Preseason Poll. Iona returns 12 players from last year's roster, including the team's top three scorers – Erika Flowers (8g, 2a), Charlotte Stuart (6g, 5a) and Julia Campagna (3g, 3a). Flowers and Stuart earned All-MAAC honors last season.
 
UVM owns a 2-1-0 advantage in the all-time series. The two teams last met on September 2, 2011 in Burlington with Vermont posting a 1-0 victory on a goal by Haley Marks.
 
KEEP UP WITH THE CATS
There are several ways to keep up with all the women's soccer news, notes and results in Catamount Country:
Twitter – follow @UVMwsoccer and when tweeting about the Catamounts use the hashtag #VCats
Instagram – follow us at instagram.com/vermontcatamounts
Facebook – like us at facebook.com/vermont.catamounts
YouTube – watch game highlights and other features at youtube.com/uvmathletics
 
Catamount Score Alerts - Can't make it to a game and not near a computer, receive the final score from all games via a text message to your mobile device. Click here to sign up for the Catamount Score Alerts for women's soccer and any other teams. Message and data rates may apply.
 
America East Digital Network - Watch all home games and America East games on the America East Digital Network. This season the University of Vermont is an official member of the America East Digital Network. All UVM home games and all America East road games can be seen on the network for FREE at AmericaEast.tv. Visit the women's soccer schedule for links to the video streams.

eNews - Receive game summaries, releases and weekly previews for UVM women's soccer delivered to your own personal email inbox by signing up for the UVM Women's Soccer eNews. The service is FREE, click here to sign up today.
 
WHO'S NEXT
The Catamounts host the 15th edition of the TD Bank Classic next weekend, September 4 and 6 at Virtue Field. Quinnipiac and New Hampshire open the tournament at 1:30 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 4) and Vermont hosts Kent State at 4 p.m. Kent State and New Hampshire kick off day two of the tournament at 11 a.m. on Sunday (Sept. 6) and UVM faces Quinnipiac at 1:30 p.m. in the final game of the tourney.
 
All four games will be streamed via the America East Digital Network for free. Tickets can be purchased online at UVMathletics.com, via the phone at 802-656-4410 or in person at the Gutterson Fieldhouse Box Office the day of the game.