Score: #21 Vermont 1, UAlbany 0
 
Location: Virtue Field in Burlington, Vt.
 
Records: UAlbany (5-10-1, 1-4-1) | Vermont (11-3-2, 4-2-0)
 
Short Story: UAlbany's latest showdown against the #21 Catamounts ends in a 1-0 defeat after surrendering the first goal against Vermont since the 2021 season.
 
Key Stats

• UAlbany's shutout streak against Vermont ended after 319 minutes of game time
• Shafique Wilson recorded six saves
• Vermont outshot UAlbany 16-7, including 10-4 in the second half
• Vermont drew six corner kicks to UAlbany's four

Head Coach Trevor Gorman: "Our guys gave great effort tonight.  Stretches of the game we played really well and executed how we wanted.  To concede on a set piece was disappointing but we fought right to the end.  I'm proud of them for the fight and the commitment they showed."
 
How it Happened

• UAlbany visited rival Vermont for its final road game of the 2023 regular season.  The Catamounts finished last season ranked fourth in the national poll, and were ranked 21st ahead of Friday's game.
• The Great Danes and Catamounts met twice in 2022.  In the regular season meeting, the teams played to a scoreless tie.  In their meeting in the semifinals just nine days later, the Great Danes upset the Catamounts 1-0 in Burlington to advance to the America East title game.  Vermont was ranked eighth nationally in both games.
• Friday night's game started quickly for Vermont, with the Catamounts drawing one free kick and two corner kicks in the first three minutes following the opening kickoff.  UAlbany earned its first corner kick in the eighth minute, but was held without a shot until the 19th, an effort from Ander Castillo that missed the frame, high.
• With two minutes left in the first half, Vermont forced a turnover in UAlbany's defensive third.  After pressing forward, Jacob Vitale's shot missed wide left for the final scoring opportunity for either team of the first 45 minutes.
• UAlbany ended the first half with a deficit in shots taken, 6-3, but had held Vermont without a shot on target.  The lone shot on target for either team came in the 33rd minute from Mohamed Soumah, forcing Catamounts' goalkeeper Owen Jack to make one of his four saves of the evening.  Vermont had drawn four corner kicks in the opening period, compared to UAlbany's one.
• In the 58th minute, Vermont drew a free kick just outside the top of the arc in UAlbany's defensive third.  Yaniv Bazini, Vermont's leading scorer with seven goals and 17 total points in 2023, stepped up for the attempt, but sent his shot high over the crossbar.
• The Catamounts capitalized on one of their six corner kicks in the 61st minute.  The serve from Nick Lockermann found Zach Barrett on the far post for a goal to put Vermont up 1-0.
• Vermont's goal was the first the Catamounts had scored against UAlbany since scoring two goals in the first 12 minutes of the teams' lone meeting during the 2021 season on October 23.  The Great Danes had since held Vermont scoreless over the next 319:08 in the series.
• UAlbany goalkeeper Shafique Wilson recorded a series of saves in the final 20 minutes of the second half to prevent Vermont from extending its lead.  First, in the 73rd minute, Wilson made a diving save on a breakaway effort from Vermont, allowing the Great Danes' defense to clear the ball out of danger.  In the 77th, he made another diving save, from point-blank range, deflecting Bazini's shot out for a Vermont corner kick.  Finally, in the 82nd, Carter Johnson broke though the UAlbany defense on the dribble, and passed the ball off to his left once he reached the UAlbany box to Max Murray.  Murray turned and fired a shot, but Wilson met the attempt low and to his right.
• The Great Danes created one final scoring opportunity in the final minute of play.  A serve into the box met the head of center back Santiago Frias.  Frias redirected the ball downwards and to the left, but into the arms of Jack.
• Vermont held on to win 1-0.  The Catamounts outshot UAlbany 16-7 overall, including 10-4 in the second half, and placed seven shots on frame, all of which came in the second half. 

Next: UAlbany hosts NJIT for its season finale and Senior Night on October 31.