WOMEN'S LACROSSE NOTEBOOK
The UVM women's lacrosse team will open the 2018 season with a visit from Colgate on Saturday (Feb. 17). The opening draw is set for 12 p.m. at Virtue Field. Single game tickets are available at
UVMathletics.com/Tickets or at the Gutterson Fieldhouse Box Office on gameday. Free video and live stats will be available by clicking the links below.
RELATED LINKS
Colgate: Video | Live Stats | Tickets
Vermont: 2018 Roster | 2018 Schedule
SETTING THE SCENE
The Catamounts return two of their top scorers from a year ago in
Jenna Janes and
Elena McWright. Janes led UVM with 45 points on 31 goals and 14 assists as a sophomore. McWright ranked fifth on the squad with 19 points on 12 goals and seven assists during her junior campaign. On the defensive end, junior
Micaela O'Mara and senior
Kim Arkell finished second and third on the team in caused turnovers. O'Mara caused 14 turnovers and scooped up 16 groundballs while Arkell followed with 13 caused turnovers and recorded 16 groundballs. In goal, juniors
Maddy Kuras and
Catherine Green split time last season. Kuras made 115 saves in 15 games while Green stopped 58 shots in 10 contests.
LEADERSHIP GROUP
Seniors
Alex Bernier,
Courtney Cole, and McWright will lead the Catamounts as team captains for the upcoming 2018 season.
CATAMOUNT NEWCOMERS
Vermont welcomed eight newcomers to the program during the offseason, including five freshmen and three transfers. The five freshmen are
Jessica English,
Gabby Fairley,
Giuliana Frizzi,
Grace Giancola, and Cassidy Hollaran. The trio of transfers are
MacKenzie Bolt (Virginia Tech),
Elise Koehl (Louisville), and
Charity Warner (Monroe Community College).
2018 DOCKET
UVM's 17-game regular season schedule will face opponents from six different conferences, including three programs from last year's NCAA Tournament. The docket includes a visit to the Sunshine State to battle defending Atlantic Sun champion Jacksonville on Sunday, March 11 and Stetson on Wednesday, March 14. Vermont will open conference play against Binghamton on Saturday, March 24 before heading to five-time defending America East champion Stony Brook on Friday, March 30.
AMERICA EAST PRESEASON POLL
The Catamounts landed in a fifth-place tie with Binghamton in the 2018 America East Preseason Coaches' Poll. UVM earned a total of 22 points in the preseason rankings. Stony Brook was tabbed as the unanimous preseason favorite with 49 points. Albany followed in second place with 41 points. UMBC was picked third with 39 points and received the final first place vote. New Hampshire grabbed the fourth-place spot with 27 points. UMass Lowell tallied 17 points and Hartford rounded out the poll in eighth place with seven points.
SCOUTING COLGATE
The Raiders were picked to finish seventh in the Patriot League Preseason Coaches' Poll. Colgate earned 64 points in the preseason rankings and senior Haley O'Hanlon landed on the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. O'Hanlon is coming off a career-high 34 goals and racked up 49 points last season. The Raiders bring back five of their top six scorers from a year ago. Behind O'Hanlon, senior Kristen Brigagliano tallied 25 points on 17 goals and eight assists. Junior Tara Atkinson added 24 points with 13 goals and 11 assists. Junior goalie Asil Asfour started all 15 games last season and recorded 115 saves.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Saturday's season opener will be the 30th all-time meeting between the two programs. UVM has won four out of the last six contests but the Raiders own a 19-10 edge. Last year, Colgate scored nine second-half goals for a 14-11 victory in Hamilton, New York and snapped the Cats' three-game winning streak in the series.
WHO'S NEXT
Vermont will make its first road trip of the season at St. Bonaventure on Tuesday (Feb. 20). The opening draw is set for 12 p.m.
