Minutewomen Claim 2-0 Shutout Victory Over Vermont In Season Opener

BURLINGTON, VT -- No. 14 Massachusetts (1-0) controlled the action, claiming a 2-0 shutout victory over Vermont (0-1) in its season opener on Friday at Moulton Winder Field.

The win marks the first of the 2025 season and 98th of the Barb Weinberg era. The Minutewomen allowed just two shots on the day, spending the majority of the action in the offensive third.

Gabrielle Benkenstein got her senior season started on the right foot, recording a goal and an assist in the matchup. Sophomore Neva Eisenga also notched a goal and an assist, with each tally coming off a pair of penalty corners.

Vermont was led by goalkeeper Merle Vaandrager who recorded six saves on the day.

Breaking Down The Action

The Minutewomen spent the majority of the first quarter in the offensive third but could not find their season opener through 15 minutes of play.
Neva Eisenga tallied the game's opening goal, firing in a penalty corner with assists from Gabrielle Benkenstein and Fiene Jenniskens.
Massachusetts continued to control the action through two quarters of play, holding a 7-0 advantage in shots and 1-0 lead at the break.
Emily Barrett drew a penalty corner with 10:13 to play in the third quarter, resulting in back-to-back attempts and a tip in goal from Benkenstein to make it 2-0 Minutewomen.
Despite holding a 12-1 advantage in shots through 45 minutes, the Minutewomen held just a 2-0 lead heading into the final quarter of play.
Massachusetts completed the season opening shutout, the final whistle sounding with the score 2-0.

Notable Numbers

1: Neva Eisenga notched the first UMass goal of 2025, the fifth of her career.
1: Massachusetts recorded its first victory and shutout of the season
2: The Minutewomen allowed just two shots in the contest.
3: Eisenga and Benkenstein each recorded three points on the day, tallying a goal and an assist apiece.
9: The Minutewomen drew nine penalty corners on the day.
13: The Minutewomen tallied 13 shots on the day, eight on goal.

Series History

With the win, Massachusetts now holds a 17-2-0 record all-time against the Catamounts.
Friday's contest marked the first matchup between the two regional opponents since 2021.

Up Next

The Minutewomen continue their season opening road trip, taking on UMass Lowell for the Kennedy Cup on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 3 p.m. at Wicked Blue Field. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and can be followed live on umassathletics.com or UMassFH on Twitter.

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