Bryant College delivered a stunning upset by defeating No. 2 Vermont in a penalty shootout during the America East Conference semifinals on Wednesday, November 11. The match remained deadlocked at 1-1 through 90 minutes of regulation and an additional 20 minutes of overtime, forcing the decisive shootout on Vermont’s home turf. In front of a crowd of 2,245 at Virtue Field, the Bulldogs silenced the home support to advance, effectively dashing the Catamounts’ hopes of securing a third consecutive conference tournament championship.
Key Match Highlights & Tactical Analysis
The penalty shootout proved decisive, with Bryant converting four of their kicks to secure a 4-3 victory. Jorge Rodriguez, Nacho Vila, Marcos Blasco, and Nacho Garcia delivered clinical finishes for the Bulldogs, overcoming Vermont’s attempts to claim the win. This result marks a significant setback for the Catamounts, who had been favored to continue their dominant run in the conference. The loss highlights the unpredictability of single-elimination tournament play, even for high-seeded teams with strong regular-season records.
Vermont, now with a season record of 10-2-5, will wait for the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, November 16, to determine if they receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Despite dropping out of the top-25 national poll two weeks ago, the team remains slotted 25th in the latest RPI. First-year UVM coach Adrian Dubois expressed optimism about the team’s future, stating, “Nothing really changes, just now we’re hungrier and we are more excited for some wins in the NCAA Tournament.” Dubois emphasized the team’s strong performance this year and expressed hope for a home game in the national tournament, signaling a shift in focus toward the upcoming selection process.
Source: Yahoo Sports
