Catamounts Advance to National Championship Game in Penalties over #3 Denver

On By Littum

FINAL SCORE: Vermont 1, #3 Denver 1 (UVM wins PK’s 4-3)
CARY, NC. – The 2024 Vermont men’s soccer team made more history Friday night from WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC, defeating the #3 Denver Pioneers in PK’s 4-3 to punch a ticket to the College Cup Finals for the first time in program history. Yaniv Bazini’s match-tying goal in the 84th minute and at Niklas Herceg massive save in PK’s launched catamounts to the national championship game. Vermont will face 13th-seeded Marshall in the title game on Monday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. 8 p.m. in a game that will be televised live on ESPN2.

RELATED LINKS
Box result (.pdf)
CatamountTV: Penalty kick | Bazini goal

Game highlights

Postgame: Coach Dow, Herceg & Murray

Photo gallery



HOW IT SEEN

  • Denver applied considerable pressure early in the game and hit the crossbar six minutes in, seeing Sam Bassett cross the ball into the box and find Trevor Wright, who used his head to place the ball towards goal, but he could not hit the bar as Niklas Herceg gained possession of the loose ball, giving the Catamounts time to regroup.

  • In the 30th minute of play, the Pioneers opened an excellent scoring opportunity when Ronan Wynne sent a cross into the box from distance, this time finding the head of Oje Ofunrein, who placed his header to the left to keep the game scoreless, 0-0. scored no goals for the rest of the half as both teams entered the final frame tied at zero.

  • In between the 60th and 61st minutes of action, Herceg showed textbook goalkeeping and made two crucial saves. The first save was from a corner, clearing the ball out of harm’s way with both hands, but it was the second save in the 61st minute that was about to fall. Bassett, using his right foot, hit what appeared to be a missile into the top right corner, but incredible athleticism from Herceg allowed him to stretch out as he made a diving save to knock the ball away out of bounds, which kept the Pioneers. off the scoreboard.

  • David Ismail created a brilliant scoring chance in the 68th minute as he dribbled the ball into open space towards the midfield and unleashed a right-footed shot just outside the keeper’s box, but his shot went just wide to the right, keeping the game scoreless, 0 -0.

  • A minute later, in the 69th minute, Bassett broke through on a chance for another chance and put a high shot into the right corner of the net, giving Denver a 1-0 lead in the second half. Ian Smith was awarded an assist on the Pioneers goal.

  • In the 76th minute, a superb busy effort from Ryan Zellefrow to get around his defender and into the goalie box which he could set up Marcel Papp in the slot, but Papp leaned back a little too far on his one-touch shot and sent the ball over the net as Denver held on to a 1-0 advantage.

  • The Vermont Catamounts tied the game at 1-1 in the 84th minute thanks to Nathan Simeon making contact with Yaniv Bazini on a cross pass, chesting the ball together, wasted no time putting his right foot on the ball for a shot into the bottom right corner, securing his 30th career goal as UVM knotted the game at 1-1.

  • After no goals were scored for the remainder of regulation, the game went to two separate 10-minute overtime periods where UVM fired three shot attempts, but neither team was able to find the back of the net when the game was called to penalty kicks. kick.

  • Vermont would go on to defeat Denver on PK’s 4-3 when Bazini, Zach Barrett, Max Murrayand Maximilian Kissel all deliver on their attempts, while Herceg made an incredible stop on the Pioneers’ third down, earning the Catamounts a trip to the NCAA College Cup Finals for the first time in program history.

INTO THE BOX SCORE

  • Bazini tallied his 30th career goal against Denver and secured his 10th career goal in the NCAA Tournament in 12 career games.

  • Bazini has scored six goals in five games in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

  • Siméon recorded an assist on the tying goal for the Catamounts, his third assist of the season and first point of the NCAA Tournament.

  • The Catamounts were the first team in the NCAA Tournament this season to score on Denver.

  • Vermont has held opponents scoreless in the first half of five straight games and has won all five.

  • Until Sam Bassett’s goal in the 69th minute, Vermont had not trailed at any point during the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

  • Vermont is outscoring opponents 8-2 in the second half of tournament games this year. Over the past three years, the Catamounts have outscored opponents 17-6 in the second half of NCAA postseason games.

  • Vermont has scored 20 goals in the 76th minute or later and 16 goals in the 83rd minute or later this season.

  • The Vermont men’s soccer team is the first Vermont team or America East team in any sport to ever appear in a national championship game.

  • Tonight was the Catamounts’ third PK shootout in NCAA Tournament history and first since 2007.

  • National semifinal games have gone to PKs 10 times since 2000, in five of those cases the team advancing to the national championship won.

  • With the win, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to the Vermont Children’s Trust Foundation as part of the Cats Wins, Community Wins Initiative.

For news and updates on the Vermont men’s soccer program, follow @UVMmsoccer on Instagram, X and Facebook and visit UVMathletics.com.
EastRise Credit Union is the presenting sponsor of Vermont football