WOMEN'S LACROSSE NOTEBOOK
Vermont (2-0) heads back on the road to face UMass (1-1) on Wednesday (Feb. 23) at Garber Field. The opening draw is slated for 2 p.m. Wednesday's game will not be streamed online, but live stats will be available at UMassAthletics.com.
 
RELATED LINKS
Live Stats
 
SCOUTING THE MINUTEWOMEN 
The Minutewomen split their first two games this year, most recently losing to No. 1 Boston College 22-5. UMass was poicked No. 1 in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll after posting a 15-3 (8-0 A10) record and securing the conference championship  for the 11th time in program history. UMass returns five players selected to the All-Conference Team last season including their leading point scorer and reigning Co-Offensive Player of the Year Haley Connaughton (42 goals, 41 assists). Associate head coach Jana Drummond is the sister of Vermont associate head coach Jess Drummond.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Catamounts have beaten the Minutewomen two times – a 20-8 victory in their second ever match-up and a 14-4 win in the following season of 1994. Since these two victories, UVM has dropped 15 straight games to UMass. Their most recent match-up occurred in 2021 where the Catamounts suffered a 20-7 loss. For Vermont, Maris Large, Ava Vasile, and Meghan O'Connor each scored two goals and Sophie McLaughlin finished with 14 saves.
 
2-0 CATS
Vermont has opened the season with two-straight wins for the first time since the 2019 campaign when the Cats registered wins over Colgate (W, 12-9) and Manhattan (W, 10-7). UVM has outscored opponents by an average margin of 7.5 points in its early victories.
 
AVA'S OFFENSE
Ava Vasile has tallied 10 points (7 goals, 3 assists) in the first two games, which is the third-highest total in America East to date.  The junior's points per game (5.0) ranks second in the conference. Vasile is also in the league's top five in goals, assists, and shots per game.
 
CARRERA EARNS WEEKLY HONOR
Carolyn Carrera was named America East Defensive Player of the Week on Monday (Feb. 14) for her performance in Vermont's season-opening win at Colgate. The senior caused three turnovers and scooped up a league-high seven groundballs to help the Catamounts defeat the Raiders 17-8.

THE LEADERS
The Catamounts announced their six captains chosen to lead the program for the 2022 season. The leadership group, made up of Riley Halloran, Grace Giancola, Molly McDonough, Maris Large, Carolyn Carrera, and Camille Argentieri, was selected by the team.
 
NEW FACES
Vermont welcomed 10 newcomers to the program for the 2022 season. The new Catamounts include Maddie Erskine, Anabel Gicewicz, Erin Winder, Annie O'Hara, Kendall Traveis, Audrey Cole, Caroline Kagan, and Claire Adelhelm, along with transfers Lexie Ruff and Kerry Gerety. Ruff is a junior transfer from Virignia Tech. Gerety comes to the program as a fifth-year senior after four seasons at Siena.