FINAL SCORE: Vermont 12, UMass Lowell 10
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Nine Catamounts registered goals as Vermont (6-5, 6-3 AE) closed out the regular season with a 12-10 win over UMass Lowell (4-8, 3-6 AE) on Saturday at Virtue Field. With the win, UVM clinched the No. 3 seed in the 2021 America East Women's Lacrosse Tournament. Saturday's game was Senior Night, presented by the UVM Alumni Association.
 
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COACH'S QUOTE
"I'm so happy for our seniors and the team to earn this win today," said head coach Sarah Dalton Graddock. "I take great pride in our resiliency and ability to find a way with the extra emotion of Senior Day. It's great to be going into the tournament with a couple wins."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Catamounts jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening 6:54. Ava Vasile opened the scoring for Vermont with her 26th tally of the season, followed by goals from Meghan O'Connor and Dani Paterno. UMass Lowell countered with a goal from Grace Hansen, but Vermont tacked on two more goals for a 5-1 lead with 17:00 remaining in the first half.
• The River Hawks pushed back with a 4-2 run to close out the first half. Taylor Mullen and Riley Halloran scored for the Catamounts who entered the break with a 7-5 lead.
• UVM once again began a half on attack, scoring twice in the first 5:12 of the second frame. Vasile started the scoring with 25:49 remaining and McKenzie Ballard struck 1:01 later.
• UMass Lowell pulled to within one score with 13:20 remaining after three straight goals. Megan Brockbank kicked off the River Hawks' run with goals from Grace Hansen and Izzy Liqouri to follow.  
• Grace Giancola and Maris Large added goals to give Vermont an 11-8 lead with 10:48 to play. Molly Shaw registered a woman-up goal to pull to within two for the River Hawks, but Giancola netted her second goal of the frame for the 12-9 lead.
• Samantha Blair scored a free-position goal for the River Hawks with 3:55 left, but Vermont held off the late push with help from Sophie McLaughlin (14 saves) who made two key stops in the final 2:18.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Vasile and Giancola paced UVM's offense with three points each. The two Catamounts registered two goals and one assist apiece.
• Paterno and Ballard also recorded multi-goal games with two each.
• Large and Mullen tallied two points with one goal and one assist each.
• When the Cats Win, the Community Wins. With each Catamount win, Vermont Mutual Insurance donates $100 to the Vermont Foodbank. For 2020 they donated $15,000 to Spectrum Youth and Family Services. A special thank you to Vermont Mutual Insurance for their support. Vermont Mutual Insurance, protecting Vermonters since 1828.

UP NEXT
Third-seeded Vermont will face second-seeded UAlbany (10-6, 7-2 AE) in the America East Semifinals on Thursday (May 6) in Stony Brook, New York. The opening draw is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Kenneth P. Lavalle Stadium.