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FINAL SCORE: No. 14 Penn State 15, Vermont 8 | Box Score
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Ian MacKay and James Barlow combined to tally seven points for Vermont, but the Catamounts dropped a 15-8 decision to 14^th-ranked Penn State in the season opener for both teams at Holuba Hall on Saturday afternoon.
 
MacKay, the reigning America East Rookie of the Year, led Vermont in scoring with three goals and one assist. Barlow chipped in with three goals in the contest to collect the second hat trick of his career.
 
Matt Florence topped all scorers with five points on three goals and a pair of assists, and TJ Sanders added three goals and one assist to lead the Nittany Lions.
 
Penn State (1-0) jumped out to a four-goal lead at the midpoint of the first period behind a pair of scores from Florence.
 
Vermont (0-1) cut the lead to 4-1 at the 2:36 mark of the first on sophomore transfer Cam Milligan's first career goal with the Catamounts. Kyle Baier answered back for Penn State with just four seconds showing on the clock to push the Nittany Lions' lead to 5-1.
 
MacKay struck again for the Catamounts just under five minutes into the second quarter, as the sophomore netted his first goal of the season, pulling Vermont back to within three scores.
 
After a pair of goals by Penn State, Barlow and MacKay each scored with under a minute remaining to close the Penn State lead to 7-4 heading into halftime.
 
The Nittany Lions registered the opening two goals of the third period, before Barlow and MacKay netted a goal apiece to bring Vermont back within three, 9-6.
 
Mike Sutton and Florence scored the final two goals of the quarter to give the Nittany Lions an 11-6 advantage with one period remaining.
 
With Penn State holding a 13-6 lead midway through the final quarter, Barlow registered his third score of the game for the Catamounts. MacKay picked up his first assist of the season on the play.
 
Sophomore Karl Weller tallied the final goal of the contest with just over a minute remaining, but Vermont fell to Penn State by a final score of 15-8.
 
Junior Justin Rosenberg took the loss in the Vermont net despite a nine-save performance. Connor Darcey stopped 15 shots to earn the win for Penn State.
 
Sophomore Ben Cox picked up a game-high six ground balls in the contest, and sophomore transfer Luc LeBlanc went 13-27 in the faceoff circle for the Catamounts. Vermont outshot Penn State by a 45-40 margin.
 
UVM returns to Burlington for their home opener against Colgate on Saturday, February 14 at 1 p.m. Live video from Virtue Field will be streamed for free via CatamounTV.com.
 
Tickets are available at UVMathletics.com/tickets or in person one hour prior to the game at the Gutterson Fieldhouse ticket office. Admission is free for all UVM students with a school ID.
 
NOTES: Graham Bocklet, Zack Bucci, Matt Burke, Matt Gudas, Nate Howard, Luc LeBlanc, James Leary, Cam Milligan and Cam Stafford each made their debuts with the Catamounts … Milligan tallied his first career goal at UVM in the contest.