Vermont Green FC will host Boston Bolts on Wednesday night in the final home match of the USL League Two regular season. The Green are still in the playoff hunt, so three points will be needed to keep advancing towards a wildcard berth. The Bolts, however, are eying a potential coup of third place, so expect the Bostonians to come out swinging at Virtue Field.
One more time in the regular season, Vermont. We’ll need you in full voice.
HISTORY
Vermont Green FC and Boston Bolts have played four times prior to Wednesday’s meeting, and due to imbalanced scheduling in the Northeast Division, this is the first and only time the two clubs will meet in 2024. Vermont currently holds the advantage against the Bolts, winning three matches and drawing once.
Vermont Green Sporting Director and Manager Adam Pfeifer is an alumnus of the Boston Bolts—both as a player and as a coach—and matches against his childhood club tend to come with a degree of intensity.
BOSTON BOLTS IN FOCUS
The Boston Bolts were founded in 1986 and are one of the oldest soccer clubs in Massachusetts. They have become a regular producer of talent in the northeast and have competed towards the top of the table at the semi-professional level for most of their time in USL League Two.
Boston Bolts most notably developed Miles Robinson of Major League Soccer’s FC Cincinnati and the United States Men’s National team, as well as New England Revolution legend Shalrie Joseph.
In 2024, the Boston Bolts have maintained a sneaky run of form in a division that’s headlines are often dominated by the top three clubs. The Bolts will want to disrupt that conversation, and with a 6-3-3 record, they’re knocking on the door. The Bolts have lost by a score of just 1-0 to Seacoast United and Western Mass Pioneers in all of their meetings in 2024.
JACK CLOHERTY RETURNS
There will be one familiar face for the Bolts when they make their way to Virtue Field on Wednesday as 2022 and 2023 Vermont Green FC midfielder Jack Cloherty makes his return, this time with the Boston side.
For Vermont Green FC, Jack Cloherty played in 10 matches in 2022, scoring 1 goal and recording 2 assists, returning in 2023 to make appearances in 3 games. Perhaps most notably, Cloherty was a part of the now legendary performance by the Green in Newport News, VA, defeating top-seed Lionsbridge FC in the first round of the 2022 playoffs.
SAM LAYTON’S WORLD
Vermont Green FC midfielder Sam Layton has been a revelation this season in the center of the park. The hard-nosed, fearless Australian has been making his impact by dominating in possession and in defense, and in the last few matches has also proven himself an aerial threat to score goals.
In tandem with the silky-smooth Rodrigo Vaza, Vermont Green FC will rely on Layton to set the tempo on Wednesday night. If you see him in the box on a set piece, put your phone in your pocket and your beverage down, and you might catch him head one home with his signature force.
#PACKVIRTUE
It’s time to push for the playoffs. Big occasions call for big crowds, and ticket sales indicate another capacity crowd is gearing up to support the Boys in Green at Virtue Field on Wednesday night. The twelfth player lives, and the noise will be echoing off the Green Mountains as we all push together for an important win.
STREAM THE MATCH
The match will be streamed LIVE for free and at vermontgreenfc.com/streaming.
ON THE CONCOURSE
Come hungry and thirsty to Virtue Field, we’ll have Church Street Cheesesteaks, Thingz from Yaad, and El Gato serving food, and adult beverages from Zero Gravity, Shacksbury, and Smugglers Notch Distillery. Ben & Jerry’s will be scooping FREE ICE CREAM.