FINAL SCORE: Vermont 72, UMBC 58
BALTIMORE, Md. – Vermont has won back-to-back games to start America East play following a 72-58 win at the Retriever Activities Center in Baltimore on Saturday afternoon. It was the Catamounts' first road victory of the season. UVM is one of just three teams in the America East with a 2-0 record to begin conference play.
 
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Vermont trailed for part of the first quarter but claimed the lead by the end of the opening ten minutes of action. Kristina White hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to make it an 18-13 UVM lead after one period.
 
UMBC made some noise in the second quarter but entered halftime trailing UVM 29-28.
 
Then, the Catamounts erupted in the third quarter, outscoring UMBC 28-11. In the third period, UVM shot 11-17 from the field and 6-10 from downtown. The largest lead it held was 18 points towards the end of that period.
 
Vermont squandered every chance of a UMBC rally in the fourth quarter and coasted to a 72-58 win. The final score is the most lopsided margin of victory out of any America East matchup thus far.
 
Hanna Crymble led the way for the Catamounts with 19 points (9-13 FG), four rebounds and two blocks. The sophomore forward has registered double-figures in the scoring column in 13 of the 15 games she has played in this season. Crymble just missed out on a 20+ point performance, which would have been the seventh time she had done so in 2017-18. 
 
Sydney Smith put forth another solid effort. The senior co-captain scored 18 points, recorded two rebounds and dished out three assists. With four three-point field goals in the game, Smith now stands alone for fourth place all-time on the UVM three-point field goal list (172). The Illinois native passed her former teammate, Kayla Burchill, who hit 170 three-pointers during her career (which spanned from 2011-15).
 
As for the other members of UVM's starting rotation, White also recorded double-figures. She scored 14 points (4-6 3PT) with five rebounds and an assist. Cassidy Derda led the Catamounts in rebounds with 10, while also scoring eight points and racking up four assists. Katie Lavelle scored six points and picked up seven assists while only committing a single turnover. 
 
Off the bench, Candice Wright scored five points, corralled six rebounds and blocked two more shots, adding to her program record. The junior now has now blocked 125 shots in her illustrious career. 
 
With the loss, the Retrievers have dropped 12 consecutive games. UMBC has now lost to New Hampshire and Vermont to begin conference play. Overall, the Retrievers are 1-14 on the season. UMBC was picked to finish fifth in the America East preseason poll. 
 
Like UVM, UMBC featured three players with double-figures in the scoring column: Lakiah Sims (17 points), Laura Castaldo (16) and Te'yJah Oliver (14).
 
The Catamounts are now 5-10 overall, 1-5 on the road and 2-0 in America East play. Last season, Vermont finished with a 6-10 record in America East Conference play. 
 
Vermont won the rebounding battle 36-28 and committed just 13 turnovers while collecting 20 assists as a team. As a team, UVM shot 51% from the field, 40% from downtown (10-25) and 77% at the free throw line (10-13). Meanwhile, UMBC went 37% from the floor, 25% from distance (5-20) and 65% at the foul line (11-17).
 
With the victory, the Cat's Win, Community Wins campaign and Vermont Mutual have donated another $100 to the Boys and Girls Club of Burlington, bringing this year's total to 64 wins and $6,400 donated.
   
Next up, the Catamounts go back on the road for two straight games. The first contest is a 2 p.m. tilt at Stony Brook on Saturday (Jan. 13). The Seawolves are 8-7 overall and 0-2 to begin America East play. The video broadcast for the Stony Brook game can be found on ESPN3. Per a contract with ESPN, every America East game airs online on ESPN3.
 
Additionally, Logan Ratick has the play-by-play call for Saturday afternoon's showdown with Stony Brook on CatamounTV.com, as well as the flagship station for UVM women's basketball, News/Talk 620 WVMT-AM. Pregame coverage begins at 1:40 p.m., with tip-off set for 2 p.m. from Island Federal Credit Union Arena in Stony Brook, N.Y.