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.

More: Vermont soccer vs Marshall in College Cup championship: Live NCAA Tournament score updates

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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