When Vermont took down UMBC on Saturday, it meant more than just a typical conference victory.

“It proves that this program is continuing to flourish, and it’s on an upward trend,” senior defender Carolyn Carrera said. “It was a culminating moment for me because it felt like everything was falling into place. We’re where we knew we would be a few years ago, but where nobody expected us to be.”

For the Catamounts, the win — the program’s first over the Retrievers since 2016 — was one sign that their growth and hard work over the past few years has paid off. Just a year ago, Vermont finished its season at an even 6-6. Now, the Catamounts are 9-3 — one of their strongest starts in the past decade — and poised to compete for an America East title.

Coach Sarah Dalton Graddock, who took over the program in 2016, is in the midst of her best campaign yet. She said the program’s upperclassmen have been key to its success this season, fueled by tough outcomes and pushing to keep working and improving.

Carrera is one among several upperclassmen paving the way for the Catamounts this season. A long-time starter, she has been a staple of Vermont’s defense since she first took the field three years ago.

But her 2022 campaign has been unlike any season prior. In 2021, she recorded 12 caused turnovers and 12 ground balls through 12 matchups. Now, 12 games into 2022, she’s recorded 47 ground balls and 38 caused turnovers. As a result of these efforts, Carrera now ranks first nationally in ground balls per game and caused turnovers per game.

Carrera said her success this season is a result of reaching senior year with plenty of playing time under her belt, giving her a sense of confidence and allowing her to “trust her instincts.”

All the time spent on the field — both good and bad — over the past four years has also taught Carrera how to play with something to prove, Dalton Graddock said.

“Getting that game experience, then you get a taste of success,” Dalton Graddock said. “Unfortunately, you also get the taste of losing games or not playing that well. That has really fueled her, especially [with] her being a senior now, she’s playing with a great sense of urgency.”

With Carrera’s stellar play, Vermont’s defense has reached new heights. The program ranks first nationally in caused turnovers per game and 16th in scoring defense.

Dalton Graddock credited the leadership of associate head coach Jessica Drummond, who runs the Catamounts’ defense, as being one key to the unit’s growth. Beyond Drummond’s work, a strong core of veteran players including Carrera, junior defender Camille Argentieri, senior midfielder Molly McDonough and junior midfielder Ava Vasile have powered Vermont’s defensive efforts.

Carrera said playing alongside each other for so long has strengthened the unit’s bond, allowing them to build chemistry over time.

“We know what each other’s tendencies are, and it helps a lot when you play next to people that you trust so much,” Carrera said. “That’s the difference [from past seasons]. We all trust each other and our individual instincts are so correct that we are able to take more risks because we know everyone else has our backs.”

With Stony Brook ineligible to play in the America East tournament, the conference field is wide open. The Catamounts rank second among eligible conference teams after a nail-biter, 12-10 loss to Albany in early April.

Just three years ago, when Carrera first arrived on campus, Vermont finished the season ranked fifth in the America East. She remembered that the goal during her early years with the Catamounts was simply qualifying for the conference tournament. Now, it’s winning it all.

“The culture here has changed so much, where [making the conference tournament is] standard for us now, and I’m so happy to be a part of that journey,” Carrera said. “Now the focus has shifted [to], ‘Let’s lock it in, and let’s win it.’”