Vermont

Vermont soccer vs Marshall: What to know for the NCAA College Cup championship

Published

1 year ago

December 16, 2024

Vermont soccer vs Marshall: What to know for the NCAA College Cup championship

CARY, N.C. — The stakes are the highest they’ve ever been for Vermont soccer: Win Monday night and claim an NCAA national championship.

The Catamounts, who have knocked out three of the top-seven seeds in this NCAA Tournament, are ready for another big-stage chance. Vermont (15-2-6) meets No. 13-seed Marshall (15-1-7) at 8 p.m. Monday at WakeMed Soccer Park on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

“It doesn’t matter what is their record or what is their ranking. We just believe in ourselves,” Vermont star striker Yaniv Bazini said.

Vermont would be the first unseeded national champion since Marshall accomplished the feat during a field-shortened 2020 tournament. Akron, in 2018, was the last unseeded team to reach a full tournament of 48 teams. And the 2006 UC Santa Barbara squad was the last unseeded champion in a full field.

“Now it’s the final game. I’ve been saying that every single round since the knockout, and now it’s the best time to show Catamount soccer,” Bazini said.

Here’s what to know about the Vermont-Marshall matchup:

How Vermont soccer reached the NCAA College Cup championship

Playing in their 14th NCAA Tournament and fourth in a row, the Catamounts rocked Iona 5-0 at home in the opening round before going on the road for their next three victories to advance to the College Cup semifinals.

Vermont outlasted seventh-seeded Hofstra 2-1, beat San Diego 1-0 in overtime and then dropped No. 2-seeded Pittsburgh 2-0 in the quarterfinals. Vermont’s quarterfinal appearance was its second in three seasons after a three-decade wait between bids.

At the College Cup, Vermont rallied to force overtime before outlasting Denver 4-3 in the penalty shootout to book a spot in the program’s first championship game.

Vermont’s 10 NCAA tourney victories since 2022 are the most of any team in the country over that span, and the Cats’ 11 goals in this year’s tourney lead all teams.

How Marshall soccer reached the NCAA College Cup championship

After earning a first-round bye, the Herd cruised past Furman 4-0 at home in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In the third round, also at home, Marshall struck twice in the first half to earn a 2-1 victory over North Carolina State.

The Herd traveled to Dallas for their quarterfinal showdown vs. No. 12-seeded SMU. Marshall turned a 1-0 halftime lead into a 3-1 advantage by the 76th minute, holding on for a 3-2 triumph to seal its College Cup berth.

In the semifinals, Marshall banked on an early strike to stun No. 1 Ohio State for a 1-0 decision.

Vermont soccer vs Marshall: By the numbers

► Goals scored: Vermont (46), Marshall (45).

► Goals per game: Vermont (2.0), Marshall (1.96).

► Goals allowed: Vermont (18), Marshall (19).

► Goals allowed per game: Vermont (0.78), Marshall (0.78).

► Shots: Vermont (338), Marshall (275).

► Shots on goal: Vermont (142), Marshall (119).

► Corner kicks: Vermont (131), Marshall (104).

► Fouls: Vermont (280), Marshall (252).

► Yellow cards: Vermont (35), Marshall (59).

► Red cards: Vermont (0), Marshall (4).

Who are Vermont soccer’s statistical leaders

► Yaniv Bazini: 14 goals, 2 assists.

► Maximilian Kissel: 10 goals, 2 assists.

► Sydney Wathuta: 1 goal, 14 assists.

► Max Murray: 4 goals, 4 assists.

► David Ismail: 3 goals, 3 assists.

► Marcell Papp: 4 goals, 1 assist.

► Zach Barrett: 1 goal, 5 assists.

► Niklas Herceg (goalie): 6 shutouts, 10 goals allowed in 15 games and 85.5% save percentage.

Who are Marshall soccer’s statistical leaders

► Lineker Rodrigues dos Santos: 15 goals, 5 assists.

► Marco Silva: 5 goals, 2 assists.

► Tarik Pannholzer: 2 goals, 5 assists.

► Pablo Simon: 4 goals, 1 assist.

► Rai Pinto: 4 goals.

► Alexander Stjerngaard: 2 goals, 4 assists.

► Aleksa Janjic (goalie): 8 shutouts, 10 goals allowed in 15 starts and 79.6% save percentage.

Local connections on Vermont soccer team

Two former Burlington High School stars have played a role on this year’s Catamounts: Redshirt sophomore Nash Barlow and redshirt junior Karl Daly.

Daly has appeared in eight matches this fall, picking up his first career point, an assist, in the 5-0 win over Fairfield. Barlow made his college debut on Sept. 7 vs. American and has seen action in 12 more games. He scored his first goal in the 5-0 triumph over Harvard.

And associate head coach Brad Cole is a South Burlington High School graduate who played for the Catamounts from 2010-14. He was a senior captain for Vermont as a senior.

Cole returned to the Vermont staff ahead of the 2023 season for his second coaching stint with the Catamounts.

What channel is Vermont soccer vs Marshall in College Cup final?

Vermont soccer vs. Marshall will broadcast nationally on ESPN+, which is ESPN’s subscription-based streaming service.

Vermont soccer vs Marshall time for NCAA College Cup championship

Date: Monday, Dec. 16
Start time: 8 p.m. ET

The Vermont soccer vs. Marshall game starts at 8 p.m. eastern Monday at WakeMed Soccer Park at Cary, North Carolina.

Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.

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Vermont

Vermont offers criminal record clearing clinic to seal or expunge old cases

Published

4 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

Vermont offers criminal record clearing clinic to seal or expunge old cases

VERMONT (WRGB) — Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark will host a free criminal record clearing clinic on Thursday, January 15, 2025 in Brattleboro, the first to be held in the state since new expungement laws changed in July.

Sealing a record allows an individual to wipe from their criminal record specific convictions and dismissed charges after a certain period of time has passed, including records relating to contact with the criminal justice system, like arrest or citation, arraignment, plea or conviction, and sentencing. Under Vermont’s updated law, most misdemeanors, various non-violent felony offenses, and all dismissed charges can be sealed. The free clinic will focus on sealing criminal charges and convictions from Windham County, and will be open to the public by appointment only.

“For many years, my office has assisted Vermonters with clearing old criminal records that are holding them back from securing stable housing, getting better jobs, and participating fully in their communities,” said Attorney General Clark. “These clinics are a way for us to help Vermonters who have paid their debt to society and stayed out of trouble get a fresh start and strengthen the community as a whole. I want to thank Windham County State’s Attorney Steve Brown, Interaction, and the Brooks Memorial Library for their assistance in hosting this clinic.”

Attorneys from the Attorney General’s Office will offer free assistance with petitions for Vermont-specific “qualifying” criminal convictions and dismissed charges. Appointments will be available from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Vermonters must schedule appointments in advance by calling the Attorney General’s Office at 802-828-3171 or emailing AGO.Info@vermont.gov by Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Eligible participants will be given an in-person appointment at the Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro, Vermont, on the day of the clinic.

More information on sealing and expungements generally is available at Vermont Legal Aid’s website at www.vtlawhelp.org/expungement.

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Vermont

21-year-old killed in wrong-way crash on I-89 in Vermont; other driver cited

Published

16 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

21-year-old killed in wrong-way crash on I-89 in Vermont; other driver cited

A 21-year-old is dead after a pickup truck slammed head-on into her vehicle on Interstate 89 Wednesday evening in Bolton, Vermont, and the other driver involved has been cited.

State police say they responded around 5:22 p.m. to reports of a wrong-way driver in the area of mile marker 71. As troopers were responding, a multi-vehicle crash on the interstate was reported to dispatchers.

A preliminary investigation shows 45-year-old Timothy Wooster was driving a Toyota Tundra in the northbound lane when he crossed the median into the southbound lane, where he continued traveling the wrong way until he collided head-on with a Kia Sportage that was being driven by 21-year-old Hailey Westcot, police said.

A third vehicle, a Cascadia Freightliner, was traveling southbound when the head-on collision happened ahead, causing the vehicle to strike Westcot’s car and then rollover.

Westcot, of Northfield, Vt., was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Wooster, of Jericho, Vt., was taken to University of Vermont Medical Center to be treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The third driver who was involved, 50-year-old Douglas Bailey, of Londonderry, New Hampshire, was evaluated on scene and did not report any injuries, police added.

Officials haven’t said what led Wooster to allegedly drive in the wrong direction on the highway. Wooster was cited on a charge of grossly negligent operation with death resulting. Further charges will be determined as the investigation continues, according to police.

Any witnesses are asked to contact Trooper Shawn Morrow at 802-878-7111. Anonymous tips can be submitted online here. The investigation remains ongoing.

It’s unclear if Wooster has obtained legal representation at this time. He’s due in Chittenden County Superior Court on Jan. 29, 2026.

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Vermont

UVM men’s rugby team wins first-ever national championship – VTDigger

Published

1 day ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

UVM men’s rugby team wins first-ever national championship – VTDigger

The University of Vermont men’s rugby team celebrates after winning its national championship game against the University of Chicago on Sunday, Dec. 14. Photo courtesy of National Collegiate Rugby

The University of Vermont men’s rugby team romped the University of Chicago last weekend, 71-5, to win its first-ever national championship. It’s the second time, notably, that a UVM sports team has won a national-level title in the past year.

Rugby is not a varsity sport at UVM — such as soccer or basketball — which means the school’s men’s and women’s teams play outside of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA. The men’s team plays in National Collegiate Rugby’s Division II, which has more than 100 teams in different regional conferences across the country.

The team’s win Sunday capped an undefeated season that also saw it dispatch rivals in earlier rounds of the Division II tournament by double-digit margins.

“It really hasn’t even set in yet, still. Every time I see a picture or something, I’m like, holy — I can’t believe it,” said Jack Worobel, a senior mechanical engineering major at UVM who plays in the No. 4, or “lock,” position. “It’s awesome.”

In UVM’s rugby league, 15 players are on the field for each team at a time. Players advance the ball by running or kicking it but aren’t allowed to pass the ball forward. Points come primarily through “tries,” which are worth five points each and scored by bringing the ball into the opponent’s in-goal area and touching it to the ground.

Worobel credited UVM’s win to strong bonds that he said he and his teammates have built up over the past four years. A number of the players, including himself, have been on the team every year since they were first-year students, he said.

UVM has had a men’s rugby team since 1970, according to a school press release.

“We all do anything for each other. Anyone would do a favor for anyone else on this team — I think that’s where the win comes (from),” Worobel said Wednesday. “It’s not from the skill or the talents. Really, it’s what’s off the field.”

The rugby team’s win comes about a year after UVM’s men’s soccer team — which competes at the highest level of collegiate athletics — won the NCAA Division I championship last December. UVM has also won six NCAA championships in skiing, with the most recent coming in 2012.

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