The No. 3 seeded Seawolves, who improved to 10-6-3 on the season, advance to Wednesday's semifinal match at No. 2 seed UMBC at 7 p.m. The No. 6 seeded Catamounts end their year with a 7-8-4 mark.
Abreu got the Seawolves on the board fairly early. After the first 10 minutes seemed even between the two teams, the Seawolves began attacking. In the 20th minute, Mehdi Belakehal tried crossing a ball into the box, but Vermont goalkeeper David Ramada sniffed it out and grabbed it before anyone else could. However, he misplayed the ball, and it came loose. Abreu took advantage and kicked it into the net uncontested for his sixth goal of the season, tying him with Leonardo Fernandes for the team lead.
Stony Brook and Vermont jockeyed back and forth the rest of the match with the Seawolves seeing most of the strong chances. The Seawolves converted late in the 82nd minute when Belakehal had a corner kick, and Gobeil Cruz headed it in to put the match away. It was also Gobeil Cruz's sixth goal of the year, tying him with Abreu and Fernandes at the top of the team's leaderboard.
Stony Brook keeper Stefan Manz made four saves in the victory to earn his league-leading eighth shutout of the season. Ramada finished with three saves.
Stony Brook and UMBC will meet for the second time in the last 11 days next Wednesday in Baltimore. It is also a rematch of last season's America East Championship final, which the Seawolves won 2-0 at home.
