FINAL SCORE: Merrimack 2, Vermont 1
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Vermont Catamounts cut a 2-0 deficit in half early in the third period, but were unable to get the equalizer as the Merrimack Warriors were victors Friday afternoon at Lawler Rink.
 
Theresa Schafzahl netted her first collegiate goal and Melissa Black stopped 24 shots for UVM (1-3-2, 1-3-0 WHEA). Katelyn Rae scored the game-winner for Merrimack (5-1-2, 2-1-1 WHEA) while Samantha Ridgewell registered 18 saves.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"Once again we hurt ourselves with a slow start and that was the difference in the game," said head coach Jim Plumer. "We have to learn to start games the way we finish them."  
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The two teams exchanged chances in the opening minutes of the game. One of the best chances was when Schafzahl dropped a pass to Saana Valkama in a crossing pattern before the Finnish forward whistled a shot that narrowly missed the left post.
• Merrimack's Emily Volpe registered the first goal of the game on an even strength goal with 11:05 left in the first period. Volpe intercepted a pass in the Vermont zone and skated towards the net before sneaking a shot under the blocker of Black for the only goal of the period.
• Alyssa Gorecki nearly tied the game early in the second period for Vermont when she sprinted around a Warriors' defender. The captain lowered her shoulder and charged towards the goal, but was denied by Ridgewell.
• Minutes later, Greta Close wristed a shot from the point through traffic. The puck ricocheted off skates and snuck past the Merrimack goaltender, but rested up against the post before Ridgewell covered up.
• Rae put the Warriors up 2-0 with 7:40 left in the middle frame. The Merrimack leading scorer received a pass from Mikyla Grant Mentis and sprinted down the ice before slipping the puck to her backhand and around the pads of Black.
• The Catamounts pushed the pace early in the third Schafzahl scored with 16:43 left in regulation. Maude Poulin-Labelle directed a pass to Schafzahl who toe-dragged around a Merrimack defender before lifting a backhand shot into the top corner. Ève-Audrey Picard was credited with the secondary assist.
• There was back-and-forth action for the remainder of the game with both teams exchanging chances. Merrimack broke down the ice in the final minutes, but Gorecki hustled back to break up a pass and stifle the attempt. Grant-Mentis flew down the ice shortly after and tried to wrap the puck around Black, but was stymied by the UVM goaltender.
• Vermont used its timeout and pulled Black to bring on an extra attacker. Rae tried to seal the game with a shot from the neutral zone that rang off the post. Picard gathered the puck for the Catamounts and broke up the ice in an attempt to tie the game. The UVM attack sent several shots on goal, but were unable to find the back of the net before time expired.

NOTES

• Schafzahl had a game-high 10 shots on goal for the Catamounts, which was the most by a Vermont player this season. Picard had six shots on goal against Quinnipiac (Oct. 12).
• The Austrian native became the second rookie of the season to score for UVM. Lilly Holmes was the first to register a goal with a shorthanded tally in the season opener.

WHAT'S NEXT
Vermont hits the ice Tuesday (Oct. 30) at Gutterson Fieldhouse to host No. 8 Northeastern. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Windjammer and Upper Deck Pub is the presenting sponsor of the 2018-19 women's hockey season