BOSTON – Sophomore Giulianna Gianino scored the game's lone goal on a penalty kick in the 35th minute, junior Celia Braun denied three shots in the second half, and the Boston University women's soccer team captured a 1-0 victory over Vermont on Thursday (Aug. 17) at Nickerson Field.
 
BU (1-0) limited the Catamounts (0-1) to six total shots, and generated 14 chances of its own. With the results, the Terriers snag their second season-opening win in the last three seasons.
 
Gianino led all student-athletes with three shots on target, and shared the team lead with senior Abigail McNulty with four shots overall. Freshman Samantha Aronson came off the bench for two shots on goal.
 
Kylee Carafoli made six saves between the posts for Vermont. Kate Bossert had two shots to pace the Catamounts.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• BU's first solid offensive chance came in the 15th minute, as redshirt senior Kayla Ross' through pass found Gianino inside the 18-yard box. Carafoli denied the sophomore's attempt to tuck one in the far post.
• Five minutes later, Gianino fed McNulty for a rolling shot that trickled wide right
• After keeping possession on a corner kick in the 24th minute, McNulty's cross to junior Morgan Fagan in front of the left post created a shot that went wide.
• Gianino shook off a defender in the 30th minute after inserting a corner kick, and Ross nearly headed her pass in, but it skirted off the crossbar near the top-left corner of the goal.
• The Terriers gained the penalty kick when sophomore Natalie Godoy was fouled to the right of the penalty box. Gianino took the corner, ripping a shot into the lower-right corner to put the home side in front.
• In the 59th minute, Braun made a leaping save to her left after Bossert controlled a loose ball from less than 10 yards in front of the net. The Terriers sent away the ensuing Catamount corner.
• Senior Lily Matthews got behind the back line inside the box in the 66th minute, but Carafoli stuffed her 12-yard blast.
• Moments later, sophomore Cam O'Connor intercepted a Vermont clear attempt, whipped around a defender, and sent a right-footed shot narrowly wide left from 15 yards out.
• Vermont attempted to level the score in the 77th minute after a give-and-go play gave Lauren DeGroot a chance, but Braun went low to her left for the save.
• With under 50 seconds to play, the Catamounts generated a corner kick, but junior Allison Hanlon met the ball in front of the left post and headed it away to seal the victory.

STATS

• BU sported the edge in shots on goal, 7-3.
• Five of the Catamounts' six shots, and all three of their chances on goal, came in the second half.
• The Terriers recorded eight corner kicks, four in each half. Vermont generated six in the contest.
• Braun was the lone Terrier to play all 90 minutes. Matthews notched the next-highest minutes for the Terriers with 80.
• Overall, 19 Terriers saw time on the pitch.

NOTES

• All four of Gianino's career tallies have come against non-conference foes. Three have come against America East opponents: UMass Lowell, UNH, and Vermont.
• BU's penalty kick goal was its first since Oct. 1, 2021.
• Braun collected her third-career individual shutout, and first since a 1-0 win over No. 25 Harvard on Oct. 4, 2022.
• Sophomore Mackenzie Stickelman made her first-career start, playing a career-high 74 minutes.
• Hanlon (70 minutes) and senior Grace Ferrara (73 minutes) also set career-bests in minutes played.
• Four freshmen made their collegiate debuts: Ciara Kennedy, Samantha Aronson, Kaiya Stewart, and Talia Agrillo.
• BU's triumph was their 13th season-opening win in program history.
• The Terriers improve to 14-2-2 all-time against Vermont, and boost their unbeaten streak to nine matches in the rivalry.

UP NEXT

• BU ships out to UConn, who will play in its season lidlifter, on Sunday (Aug. 20). Opening kick is slated for 7 p.m. on UConn+.