FINAL SCORE: Vermont 3, Siena 1
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Junior Landon Warren scored twice and redshirt junior Jackie Gillen added insurance late in the second half to help the Vermont field hockey team past Siena 3-1 on Friday afternoon at Moulton Winder Field.
 
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The season-opening win puts the Catamounts at 1-0 on the young season, while Siena drops to 0-1. UVM is also now 11-0 all-time at home against the Saints.
 
Lena Benwood needed only three saves to preserve her first victory of 2017. At the other end, Siena goalkeeper Mary Crumlish tallied nine stops on the day.
 
UVM strung together offensive pressure on multiple occasions throughout the opening minutes, but was unable to find the back of the cage. One of those chances came in the 29th minute when freshman Taryn Marra corralled the ball at the left post and jammed away but was unable to beat Crumlish.
 
In the 33rd minute Warren put the Green and Gold on the board for the first time this season. Off a nicely placed flick by Taylor Gaines, Warren dribbled into the low right circle, spun around a defender and ripped a shot that was deflected into the cage by a Siena player.
 
Just after halftime, Warren notched her second goal of the afternoon. In the moments following a UVM penalty corner, she collected a rebound and poked away at the right post until the ball crossed the goal line to double the Catamounts' lead.
 
Benwood chipped in a particularly nice save in the 57th minute when Brianna Muniz darted between a pair of Catamounts, only to be shut down just inside the penalty spot. After the save, the offensive opportunity was foiled with some help from freshman and Shelburne, Vermont native Clare Sheahan.
 
Siena pulled back within one in the 60th minute, burying a second-chance opportunity after a corner. The goal was credited to Stephanie Hand.
 
As the teams headed down the home stretch, Gillen put the game out of reach with a tally in the 68th minute. Off a feed from Carla Godsman, Gillen moved through two Saints and put a shot home from the right side. It was her first game action since 2015 after redshirting last season.
 
In addition to outshooting Siena by a 24-5 margin, the Catamounts won the penalty corner battle 6-2.
 
Five Catamounts made their collegiate debut on Friday, a group that included Claudia Cotter, Pleun Haantjes, Marra, Sydney Melfi and Sheahan. Sophia Cheever also saw game action for the first time with the Green and Gold.
 
UVM now treks south to UMass for a Sunday afternoon (Aug. 27) tilt with the No. 22 ranked Minutewomen. That game is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Gladchuk Sports Complex in Amherst, Massachusetts.