The UVM women’s soccer team successfully snatched an important win Saturday  against Brown University.

“They’ve been working hard and this was their only game this week, so it was nice to have it come out with a win,”  said head coach Kristi Lefebvre.

First-year midfielder Ella Bankert scored the winning goal in overtime, which was also her first collegiate goal,  junior midfielder Brooke Jenkins said.

“It was great to see a first-year come out and be big in moments like that; she definitely deserved it,” senior midfielder Sarah Martin said.

The game started with tough defense, with both blocks in the field and consistent deflections by senior goalkeeper Coco Speckmaier.

Coach Lefebvre said Jenkins’ best play of the game was her knowing “when to tackle at the right moment.”

Brown initially blocked Vermont’s attempts for goals at the beginning of the first half, but the Catamounts were first to get on the scoreboard with Martin scoring the first point mid-way during the first half with a penalty kick.

“The goal gave us the motivation and the drive to come out and score another one,” Martin said.

During the first half, the team consistently “minimized the chances that the other team had and created some of [their] own,” Lefebvre said.

At the half, UVM had a 1-0 lead. The general mindset was to “come out strong in the second half,” Martin said.

Jenkins was perceptive as she described the start of the second half. “Once we went up a goal, we sat back in when we should’ve been pressing,” she said. “In the second half, there were moments when it was swinging their way.”

This occurred when Brown scored toward the end of the second half, tying up the game.

UVM had possession with a minute left in the game but could not  break the tie during regulation, so the game went to overtime.

At this point, the team regrouped and agreed that “going into overtime we need to put this game away,” Jenkins said.

“We all notice what’s happening on the field and come up with a game plan to attack in the second half,” Martin said.

Lefebvre said the team needs to improve defensively, “which leads to some of the other team’s chances. Tightening up will help us out.”

This win gave the team a 3-0 start at home, which is the first since 2003, according to UVM athletics.

The game allowed “flexibility by playing players in different positions and rotating players through more than usual.” Lefebvre said.

UVM will be on the road for the next two games. They play Sept. 6 at 5 p.m. at Siena College and Sept. 10 at 11 a.m. at American University.

“This was a big win at home and gave us a lot of momentum moving forward for heading to away games,” Martin said. “I believe we will definitely come out strong in all of these games”.