FINAL SCORE: Vermont 12, UMass Lowell 11
LOWELL, Mass. – Cam Milligan and Dawes Milchling each registered hat tricks and Nick Washuta racked up 16 saves as Vermont withstood a late surge to take home a 12-11 win from UMass Lowell on Saturday at Cushing Field.
 
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The win ends a three-game slump for Vermont, which improves to 5-6 on the season (1-3 America East). UMass Lowell drops to 2-10 on the season and 0-4 against league foes.
 
Despite being beat to the scoreboard, UVM put together a quick four-goal run in the first quarter. After Will Puduski gave the River Hawks a 1-0 lead, Milligan (2), Liam Rischmann and Rob Hudson each scored for Vermont. The span of 2:38 following Puduski's goal represented the only window that UVM trailed throughout the entire afternoon.
 
Rischmann's tally, which was the beginning of his first career multi-goal game, culminated with a nicely-timed pass from Milligan behind the cage after scooping a ground ball. Milligan's second goal of the run at the 9:20 mark came about when Hudson found him on the doorstep.
 
The River Hawks closed the quarter with a pair and tied the score at four-apiece midway through the second stanza, but Vermont constructed a second run of four which overlapped into the third quarter. Hudson completed the sequence near the end of the crease at the 12:16 mark, finishing an extended possession.
 
In the fourth quarter momentum swung back in favor of UMass Lowell as the River Hawks worked to battle back from a deficit of four, and while Vermont's lead was trimmed to just one in the final result, Washuta managed seven saves in the final 15 minutes to preserve the win. Milchling entered the box score with two goals in less than 30 seconds around the 10-minute mark, then added his third with 6:57 left on the clock.
 
Charlie Erdmann held down the fort on faceoffs, going 17-for-26 (65.4 percent) in the circle. He had tremendous success particularly in the first 30 minutes, going 10-of-12 before halftime. Erdmann picked up a game-high seven ground balls, followed by Ben Cox with five scoops. Cox also caused two turnovers.
 
Milligan also had three assists on the day to finish with six points.
 
For the River Hawks, Grant Lardieri made 10 stops. Six different players scored, led by Austin Lane's trio.
 
UVM is back at Virtue Field next Saturday (April 15) to host Senior Day against Stony Brook. Prior to the 1 p.m. game, the Catamounts will recognize each member of their senior class.