Over winter break, the UVM men’s soccer team brought home the NCAA Division I National Championship—– the first UVM, or any America East team has competed for or won.
Unseeded, the Catamounts fought an uphill battle in nearly every preceding round of the tournament, defeating No. 7 Hofstra in overtime, No. 2 Pitt in the last minute of regulation and No. 3 Denver in penalties to reach the final.
With 30 second-half goals and 15 in the 82nd minute or later this season, the “Cardiac Catamounts” earned a reputation for delivering victories with the odds stacked against them.
UVM took the pitch in Cary, N.C. against No. 13 Marshall University on Dec. 16, 2024, an opponent that has appeared in two national championships, winning one, in the last five years.
Head coach Rob Dow sent the Catamounts out in a 4-2-3-1 formation topped by redshirt senior forward Yaniv Bazini who entered the final with six goals this tournament.
Both teams had multiple attempts on goal without reward, making for a nil-nil scoreline at halftime and a high-stakes final 45 minutes of regulation.
In the 67th minute, a tough cross through the UVM box forced first-year goalkeeper Niklas Herceg to make a dangerous block, putting Marshall ahead 1-0 off of the rebound.
Then, a rushed turnover by the Marshall goalkeeper set the Catamounts up for a quick counterattack combination between graduate defender Max Murray, junior forward David Ismail and graduate forward Marcell Papp.
Right on cue, Papp found the corner of the goal to equalize the score in the 81st minute.
With the game tied at the end of regulation, the first side to score in two 10-minute overtime halves would take it all, or the teams risked the gamble of a penalty shootout.
After intercepting a pass in the UVM half, senior defender and captain Zach Barrett made the assist of his career, sending junior forward Maximilian Kissel behind the Marshall backline.
Kissel beat the opposing center back in a foot race to the ball, taking on Marshall’s goalkeeper and last defense between the Catamounts and the title.
With a touch around the Marshall goalkeeper, Kissel scored his second game-winner of the tournament to secure the national championship in the 95th minute.
Fans welcomed the team home outside the Patrick Gym on Dec. 17, 2024 and a parade in downtown Burlington will be held to celebrate their historic win at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 26.
