FINAL SCORE: Vermont 11, Siena 10
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Freshman Ava Vasile scored the game-winning goal with 23 seconds left in the game to give Vermont an 11-10 victory over Siena on Wednesday afternoon in non-conference action. The Catamounts reached the win column for the second straight game and stand at 3-3.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score | CatamounTV Highlights
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"I am so proud of our team's belief and resiliency to finish today's game," said head coach Sarah Dalton Graddock. "We had two great days of practice leading up today and it showed in the first half with our composure and decision making. We need to clean up some things but to end the way we did, it gives our team some confidence moving forward."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Catamounts jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after Maris Large and Dani Paterno netted goals.
• Siena cut the margin in half near the 22-minute mark, but the MacKenzie Bolt added a goal of her own two minutes later.
• The Saints battled back and tied the game at 3-3. Nicole McNeely won the draw control, then finished the scoring chance with 19:23 left in the first half. Kerry Gerety found the equalizer a minute and a half later.
• The Catamounts scored three of the final four goals in the first half for a 6-4 lead at the break.
• Siena opened the second half with two more goals in the first seven minutes to even the score at 6-6.
• McKenzie Ballard beat the shot clock near the midway point and gave UVM a 7-6 edge, but Siena responded with four goals in an eight-minute stretch.
• Trailing 10-8 late in the game, Vasile completed the hat trick and scored the decisive goal for the Cats. The freshman helped the Green and Gold draw within 10-9 with a free position goal at the 3:02 mark. She tied the game with another free position goal at the 1:34 mark. With the clock winding down in the final minute, Vasile spun past a defender and buried the game winner at point-blank range.

GAME NOTES

• Vasile racked up a team-high four goals. She won five draw controls and caused a turnover.
• Paterno recorded a hat trick with three goals. She picked up one ground ball and scored on both free position attempts.
• Large added two goals and registered two ground balls.
• Sophie McLaughlin stopped 12 shots and collected three ground balls.
• With the victory, the Cats Win, Community Wins campaign and Vermont Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to a Vermont charity, bringing the 2020 total to 39 wins totaling $3,900. A special thank you to Vermont Mutual Insurance for their support, protecting Vermonters since 1828. 

WHO'S NEXT
 Vermont will head to Mercer on Sunday (March 8) for the first ever meeting between the two programs. The opening draw is set for 1 p.m.