For the first time ever, Vermont and New Hampshire will play for the America East Women’s Soccer Championship. It will be a meeting between the No. 1 and No. 6 seeds after both earned wins in the semifinals on Thursday night.
 
The top-seeded Catamounts weathered an early 1-0 deficit with three unanswered goals, including two from Karen Wallace, to beat #4 UAlbany and advance to just their second title game in program history.
 
In the second semifinal, UNH tied the game late and ultimately prevailed in penalty kicks, 8-7, for the second-straight game, upsetting #2 UMass Lowell. It marks just the fourth time under the current format the No. 6 seed has advanced to the championship game.

The Catamounts will host the Wildcats in the 2021 America East Women’s Soccer Championship game on Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will air on AmericaEast.TV.
 
Semifinals Recap
#1 Vermont 3, #4 UAlbany 1

• The game featured an early penalty kick in the 21^st minute. Lydia Kessel guessed right but First-Team All-Conference honoree Jasmine Colbert’s shot was just enough to beat the Goalkeeper of the Year.
• Vermont junior Karen Wallace tied the game in the 34^th minute, heading the ball into the net on a pass from Kate Bossert.
• First-Team All-Conference selection Alex West was next to cash in, giving the Catamounts the lead as Alexa Mihale set her up.
• Wallace then added to her highlight reel, beating UAlbany’s keeper in the 65^th minute off of Second-Team All-Conference choice Natalie Durieux’s corner kick.
• Kessel made seven saves after allowing the penalty kick goal to Colbert.

• Both teams played a scoreless 45 minutes to begin the match.
• The River Hawks were awarded a free kick in the 59th minute and Chaima Khammar sent a ball from the side of the box to senior Hailey DuBose, who found the back of the net.
• As time continued to wind down, UNH created the equalizer in the 80th minute when Anna Hewlett fired a ball off her head on a cross from Ella Dudley.
• The first overtime was scoreless as the Wildcats mustered the lone shot and then thwarted five River Hawks shots in the second overtime, sending the match to penalty kicks.
• The penalty kick battle lasted 10 rounds and ended on a Cat Sheppard save.

 
Stay up-to-date on the tournament by visiting Championship Central for box scores, highlights and recaps from Thursday's action in addition to live coverage links for Saturday's championship game.
 
Follow @AmericaEast and @AEDigitalNet on Twitter to get the real-time championship updates. Use the #AEChamps and #AEWSOC hashtags to join the conversation.
 
About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field. 
 

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