LORETTO, PA – The Catamounts used an 18-0 run across the second and third quarter, including a 14-0 run to end the first half, to defeat Saint Francis 68-48 on the road Thursday night at DeGol Arena. With the victory Vermont improves to 7-3 and extends their winning streak to six games, the longest regular season winning streak under Mayer Women's Head Basketball Coach Alisa Kresge, while the Red Flash fall to 0-8 on the season.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score | Box Score (.pdf)
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"A solid team win is a nice way for us to start our road stint," said Mayer Women's Head Basketball Coach Alisa Kresge. "We are still learning how to win on the road and tonight was a good test. I thought we had great contributions from our bench which is adding to our depth and important for the long season. Now we have to get ready for another big test on the road."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Catamounts started the scoring with back-to-back baskets from Anna Olson to up 4-0. The Red Flash responded with a 5-0 run to put themselves in front 5-4, but a Catherine Gilwee three on the other end for Vermont gave them the 7-5 lead with 7:30 remaining in the first a quarter, a lead they would not let up for the rest of the game.
• The two teams battled through the last seven plus minutes with neither team able to gain much of an edge as UVM took a 14-10 lead heading into the second stanza.
• Emma Utterback took over in the second quarter to help Vermont run away with the game scoring 10 of her 18 points across a 22-6 Catamount run that extended through the entire second quarter.
• Delaney Richason got the scoring started with a layup to extend their lead to 16-10 before Utterback connected on back-to-back layups to push their lead to 20-12 with 7:44 remaining.
• After a Sam Miller jumper cut the lead to 20-14 Utterback answered again with a layup to push the Vermont lead back to eight. Miller again answered with a jump shot on the other end to trim the lead back to six, 22-16 with 4:18 remaining. That would be the last basket of the half for the Red Flash, and the closest they would get for the remainder of the game.
• Vermont closed the half on a 14-0 run to take a 36-16 lead in the halftime break. During the run the Catamounts were led by Maria Myklebust who was a spark off the bench with five. As a team, UVM knocked down 6-8 from the field and 2-2 from deep while forcing three turnovers.
• The Catamounts continued their dominance into the second half holding the Red Flash scoreless for the first 1:17 while Utterback and Richason each made a layup to push their lead to 40-16 with 8:56 remaining.
• Miller finally ended the Vermont 18-0 run and 5:35 scoreless drought with a jump shot, but again Vermont had the answer on the other end with a Gilwee three (6-10) to push their lead to 43-18.
• Throughout the rest of the third quarter the two teams traded blows with Saint Francis edging the Catamounts 17-15. However, it was UVM who had the hot hand shooting 6-10 from the field and 3-4 from deep led by key reserves first year Paula Gonzalez and Myklebust, who had five points apiece, to carry a 58-35 lead into the final stanza. During that stretch UVM held Saint Francis to 7-14 shooting and just 1-5 from three.
• Both teams struggled to score in the fourth quarter with Saint Francis outscoring Vermont 13-10. UVM was 4-14 from the field but because of their defense were able to hold off Saint Francis and keep them to just 4-10 from the field. It was the four free throws the Red Flash made that were the difference in scoring in the final stanza.
• Neither team was able to put much of a run together in the fourth quarter with Catherine Gilwee leading the way for the Catamounts with six points from deep while Myklebust and Olson each scored two. Jade Campbell led the way for Saint Francis with five down the stretch.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Gilwee scored a game-high 19 points going 6-10 from three point range.
• Utterback finished with 18 points and a game-high three steals with two assists.
• Myklebust scored 12 points on an efficient 5-9 from the field to go with two rebounds.
• Vermont shot a blazing 45.0 percent from three while holding Saint Francis to just 23.1 percent.
• Vermont led the game for 38:41 and saw their lead balloon to as much as 28 in the third quarter.
• UVM won the turnover battle with just 10 to the Red Flash's 19.

 
UP NEXT
The Catamounts continue their Pennsylvania road trip when they face Duquesne on Saturday, December 10. The start time for that game is scheduled for 1 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+. The voice of the Catamounts' women's basketball team, Ryan Zimmerman, will be on the call on WVMT.