FINAL SCORE: Vermont 16, UMBC 8
BURLINGTON, Vt. – An eight-goal third quarter led a Catamount surge as Vermont (9-3, 2-2 AE) defeated UMBC (7-6, 1-2 AE) 16-8 on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Virtue Field. The conference matchup was Military Appreciation Day, presented by Milton CAT.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score
CatamounTV Highlights
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"It was a huge team win against a tough UMBC team in not ideal conditions," head coach Sarah Dalton Graddock said. "I thought we did a great job following our game plan and taking advantage of our opportunities. I look forward to building on this success as we head to UNH next week."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Catamounts opened the game with three straight goals in the first 5:05. Ava Vasile struck twice and Grace Giancola netted her first of the game for the early 3-0 lead. UMBC's Olivia Doval snapped the UVM scoring run on a free-position goal with 8:53 left in the quarter, before Giancola's second of the frame 1:29 later. The Retrievers and Catamounts exchanged goals in the final minutes of the quarter with Vermont up 5-2 through the opening frame.
• UMBC struck three times in the second quarter and held UVM scoreless to tie the game up at 5-5. Kolby Weedon scored all three goals for the Retrievers, which included a woman-up goal with 2:23 left in the half as the conference foes were knotted at the break.
• Vermont responded with eight unanswered goals in the third quarter to take a commanding lead. Ava Vasile led the UVM attack with three goals in the frame. McKenzie Ballard and Kerry Gerety also had multiple goals with two apiece as Vermont led 13-5 with one quarter to play.
• The Catamounts' lead stretched to 10 goals with a pair of early goals in the fourth quarter. Ciera Licare netted her second goal of the season and Ballard capped off her hat trick with 10:24 remaining. UMBC would outscore UVM 3-1 in the final 4:31, with Gerety recording her third goal of the game for the Catamounts.  

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Ava Vasile tallied a career-high seven points on five goals and two assists. Her five-goal output matched a career-high set in 2021. The junior registered 10 shots, directing eight on goal, and recorded a team-high four draw controls.
• Gerety registered four points against the Retrievers – her most since joining the Catamounts. The fifth-year senior tallied three goals and one assist.
• Ballard (3 goals), Taylor Mullen (1 goal, 2 assists), and Giancola (2 goals) rounded out the Catamounts who tallied multiple points.
• Sophie McLaughlin registered eight saves in goal for Vermont.

UP NEXT
Vermont visits New Hampshire on Saturday (Apr. 16) at Wildcat Stadium in Durham, N.H. The opening draw is set for 1 p.m. and can be seen live on AmericaEast.TV.