The Appalachian State University field hockey team experienced a narrow loss to the University of Vermont Catamounts, falling 1-0 in a sudden-death overtime contest. The game remained scoreless through regulation, but a decisive goal by Vermont's Emily Enden secured the victory for UVM.
Enden's game-winning score came off a penalty corner. She initiated the corner play, passing the ball into the top of the shooting circle. From there, Fiona McMahon fired a pass to Veerle Nijhuis, who then set up Enden for the final shot. Enden successfully found the back right corner of the net, marking UVM's first overtime victory of the season.
Vermont head coach Kate Pfeifer expressed enthusiasm for Enden's performance, particularly noting the freshman's ability to shine. Pfeifer stated it "says so much about her as a first-year player," highlighting Enden as a reliable player throughout the season, a trait not always expected from first-year athletes. Pfeifer shared her pride and happiness for Enden in achieving the game-winning goal.
Enden herself acknowledged the challenge posed by the Appalachian State defense. She noted that it was "really hard to play against them because they were really deep in their half." However, Enden credited her team's patience and commitment to their game plan, which ultimately proved successful.
UVM's goalkeeper, Ila Gunner, contributed significantly to the victory by earning her third shutout of the season. This marks Gunner's second consecutive shutout, following another 1-0 victory for the Catamounts. Her goalkeeping efforts included making two back-to-back saves on an Appalachian State penalty corner during the first half of the game.
Vermont's strong defensive play complemented Gunner's performance, contributing to their back-to-back 1-0 wins. Coach Pfeifer observed that the team has "gained a lot of confidence in our ability to play under pressure" in recent matches. She emphasized the team's ability to rely on one another, maintain strong connections, and communicate effectively to solve problems and prevail, even when aspects of their play were challenging.
Following this game, the University of Vermont team is scheduled to travel to the University of Albany for their next match. That game is set for Friday, October 16, with a 2 p.m. start time.
