MEN'S LACROSSE NOTEBOOK
The Vermont men's lacrosse team returns home to Burlington for the second half of conference play to host UMBC on Saturday (April 16). Faceoff at Virtue Field against the Retrievers is set for 1 p.m. and can be viewed for free via AmericaEast.tv.
 
GAME COVERAGE
Video
 
TICKETS
Tickets to the game can be purchased online at UVMathletics.com/Tickets, in person at the UVM Athletic Ticket Office located in Patrick Gymnasium (M-F: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.), via the phone at 802-656-4410, or in person one hour before game time at the Gutterson Fieldhouse Box Office.
 
ATTENTION LACROSSE ALUMNI
Men's Lacrosse Alumni are invited back for our game against UMBC and the postgame tailgate.
 
Saturday, April 16
1pm – Vermont vs. UMBC
Immediately following the game, alumni are invited to the team's postgame tailgate.
 
For more information or to register, please contact our Victory Club Office at 802-656-0956 or Victory.Club@uvm.edu.  Online registration is also available here.
 
ABOUT VERMONT
The Catamounts (5-7, 1-2) return home after a pair of conference road against against the seventh-ranked UAlbany Great Danes (8-2, 4-0) and No. 12 Stony Brook (9-2, 2-1). Over the course of the last month, Vermont's schedule created three top-15 matchups in its last five games. UVM is averaging nearly 12 goals a game and continues to outscore opponents 140-132 through 12 games, while also owning an 88-percent clearing rate.
 
BETWEEN THE PIPES
Netminder Jon Kaplan has taken the lead in goal for the Catamounts this season. While averaging over 10 saves each contest and totaling over 100 on the season, Kaplan ranks second in the conference in saves per game and has piled up the second-best save percentage (.526) in America East. The goalie has tallied seven double-figure save showings in net this season, including four of the last five games.
 
TABLES HAVE TURNED
Defensemen James Leary and Ben Cox have each already increased their caused turnover output from the 2015 season. Leary, a sophomore from Seabrook, New Hampshire, has caused 14 turnovers through 12 games, which is more than double the total of his rookie campaign. Cox has also surpassed his last year production with 14 caused turnovers. The defensive duo combines for 59 ground balls on the season.
 
HELPING HANDS
Milligan ranks second in the league, and 17th in the country, with a 2.0 assists per game average. The junior has recorded multi-point performances in 10 of his 11 appearances this season in route to reaching the 100-point milestone against UMass Lowell four games ago on March 26. With just five more assists, Milligan will have two of the top-10 single season assist totals in program history, and six more will place him fifth all-time for career helpers.
 
THE STREAK CONTINUES
After notching a point in 41 of his 42 career appearances, MacKay maintains the seventh-longest point streak among active Division I players at 41 straight. The Port Elgin, Ontario native recorded the 11th-most points in a single season last year as a sophomore (59) and is currently just 10 shy of matching the feat. With 49 points, MacKay leads the team in goals (29) and ranks fourth in America East and 14th in the nation for scoring with over four points per game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Nine first half goals for seventh-ranked Albany proved to be the difference last Saturday afternoon as the Great Danes topped Vermont 13-7 in conference play at John Fallon Field.
 
Cam Milligan matched a game-best five points with four goals and one assist for Vermont. Two more Catamounts recorded multi-point performances for UVM as Cam Stafford added a pair of goals and an assist and Ian MacKay dished out two assists. In goal, Jon Kaplan was just one shy of his season-high save count as the junior posted his fourth double-figure save performance in five games with 16 stops.
 
Seth Oakes posted the opening goal of the game for Albany at the 9:27 mark, but Milligan tallied his 16th goal of the season to tie the game at one apiece after 15 minutes.
 
The Great Danes went on an 8-0 run (9-1) throughout the second quarter, as six different Danes recorded a score for Albany. After the first half, shots favored the Great Danes 26-15, while Kaplan made eight saves in net for Vermont.
 
UVM went on a 3-0 scoring run to open the fourth period (12-5). Stafford put his second shot past Blaze Riorden and Milligan completed hat trick for his ninth multi-point showing of the season. After a second score in the quarter by the Great Danes, Matt Gudas and Milligan each answered back with a score of their own (13-7).

SCOUTING UMBC
The UMBC Retrievers (3-7, 0-3) come to Burlington after winning two of their last three games. UMBC posted a 13-8 victory over Lafayette on April 2 and most recently, a 14-11 win over Mount Saint Mary's on Tuesday. The Retrievers dropped a conference home game 10-4 to Hartford last Saturday.
 
Nate Lewnes, Max Maxwell and Jack Gannon have all eclipsed the 20-point mark this season, led by Lewnes. The senior has posted 29 points on a team-best 24 goals, while also dishing out five assists. Maxwell leads the Retrievers with 18 assists and has added nine goals for 27 points.
 
In net for UMBC, Ruston Souder has piled up over 300 minutes between the pipes for a 3-2 record. Souder has stopped 61 shots for a .504 save percentage and allows just over 11 goals per game.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
Vermont picked up its first win against UMBC in program history last year as the Retrievers lead the all-time head-to-head series 11-1. Ian MacKay's tally with just 1:08 remaining capped off a big Vermont comeback as the Catamounts topped UMBC 11-10 on the road. UVM trailed by a score of 8-3 in the third period before tallying eight of the final 10 goals of the contest to complete the comeback. With a win on Saturday, it would also mark the first home win for Vermont against the Retrievers.

NEXT UP
UVM prepares for its final road trip of the regular season as it heads to West Hartford, Connecticut next Saturday (April 23) to take on Hartford. Faceoff against the Hawks is set for a 5 p.m. start and can be viewed for free via AmericaEast.tv.