New for the 2011-2012 seasons, the America East Daily Word, a collaboration between AmericaEast.com and AExtra, will recap the previous day's games and on goings on our nine campuses and provide links to recaps, previews, features and exclusive coverage.
Just
four days left in the women’ soccer regular season. All nine America East schools
remain in contention for conference tournament bids. Today’s games will go a
long way in determining the field and seeding.
At
this point in the women’s soccer season last year, Vermont’s 2-15 record
saddled them in last place, nowhere close to even sniffing a playoff
appearance.
Enter:
Kristi Lefebvre, the Vermont native who was promoted from her assistant coach
status to lead the Cats out of the America East cellar and back to conference
respectability. She has done exactly that and now the Cats sit a win or a draw
away from a playoff berth.
Better
yet, UVM could potentially host a game. And that’s good news for Lefebvre and
company who have gone 5-1-1 at Centennial Field this year and 0-7-3 on the
road.
The
Catamounts travel to Binghamton tonight to take on the Bearcats with the
playoffs at stake. A win or a tie tonight would put UVM in the postseason for
the first time since 2006. A ‘W’ would go a long way in assuring a home playoff
game as either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed. Lefebvre knows the importance of the
game tonight, tweeting earlier, “12 hours from now it will be halftime of the
biggest game of the year.. Biggest of career for some! @UVMwsoccer vs. Binghamton at 7pm.”
No.
16 Boston University, Hartford and Albany have already clinched playoff berths.
Hartford and Albany tangle today in the New York State Capitol. If the Great
Danes win, they are still alive for the No. 2 seed and would have to beat Stony
Brook on Sunday and have Hartford lose to Boston U. Hartford, meanwhile,
clinches a first-round bye with a win or tie tonight.
In
the other two conference games tonight, UMBC hosts New Hampshire and Maine welcomes
Stony Brook. Both the Seawolves and the Wildcats control their own destiny and
could lock up bids today with wins and a Binghamton loss or tie.
For more of the Daily Word, head over to the AExtra Blog.