MEN'S LACROSSE NOTEBOOK
The No. 15 Vermont Catamounts (9-1, 2-1 AE) return to Virtue Field to host the River Hawks of UMass Lowell (5-5, 2-1 AE). The game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. following a pre-game celebration of Vermont's Olympic Athletes.
 
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SCOUTING THE RIVER HAWKS
UMass Lowell enters Saturday's contest with the Catamounts with an even 5-5 record and 2-1 mark in the America East.
 
The River Hawks have been in close games all season, pulling out one-goal wins over Quinnipiac and Providence, and a two-goal margin of victory against Manhattan. On the other side of the coin, UML has dropped one-goal games to Harvard, Siena, and Monmouth.
 
Most recently, the River Hawks scored six unanswered goals in the fourth quarter to take a 10-7 home win over the UMBC Retrievers.
 
Sean Tyrrell leads the River Hawks in assists (23) and points (38). Three UML have recorded more goals than Tyrrell this season: Matt Balter (19), Austin Lane (18), and Jon Phillips (17).
 
Freshman goalie Hunter Braun has made eight starts for UMass Lowell this season. He has posted a 10.68 goals against average and a 5-4 overall record. He heads the nation with 14.11 saves per game.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Catamounts and River Hawks have met annually since the start of the UML program prior to the 2015 season.
 
Vermont is a perfect 3-0 against UML, although the River Hawks have cut into Vermont's margin of victory each year. The Cats took a 12-11 victory on the road last April.
 
HARTFORD RECAP | CatamounTV Highlights
Ian MacKay netted a career-high six goals in Vermont's 11-7 road win over America East rival Hartford last Saturday (Mar. 31).
 
The Catamounts scored three unanswered goals in the final five minutes of the first half to take a 5-3 lead into the break. MacKay scored a buzzer beater goal to end the half following a caused turnover by Spencer Decker.
 
Hartford tied the game at 5-5 to open the third quarter, but Vermont scored another three unanswered goals to take an 8-5 lead. MacKay then netted another pair of goals as UVM took the 11-7 victory.
 
Nick Washuta made seven saves for the Catamounts and the UVM defense held a potent Hartford offense to 14 shots on goal. Griffin Feiner had entered the game with five consecutive hat tricks, but was held to one goal and three points.
 
CATS IN THE NATIONAL POLLS
The Catamounts remained in both national polls for a program record seventh straight week after taking care of Hartford last weekend. UVM is now ranked 16th per the USILA Coaches Poll and tied for 15th with the Michigan Wolverines per the Inside Lacrosse Maverik Media Poll.
 
MACKAY CLIMBS THE CAT RANKS
MacKay is currently second in program history in goals (138), sixth in assists (72), and third in points (210). He needs just 10 goals to match UVM Hall-of-Famer Craig Mygatt '88 for most goals in UVM history, one assist to match Gordon Allen '97 for fifth all-time, and 31 points to tie Mygatt for second in program history.
 
RALLY AGAINST CANCER
Saturday's game is the annual Rally Against Cancer game, presented by Otter Creek Awnings and Vermont Custom Closet.
 
Fans are encouraged to wear pink along with the members of the University of Vermont Men's Lacrosse Team.
 
ALUMNI WEEKEND SLATED FOR APRIL 7
Men's Lacrosse Alumni are invited back to Virtue Field on Saturday, April 7 as the Cats host UMass Lowell at 1 p.m.  Following the game, there will be an alumni and team reception.  To register, please visit http://go.uvm.edu/mlax18 by Thursday, April 5. 
 
Please contact our Victory Club office at Victory.Club@uvm.edu or 802-656-0956 with any questions.
 
APRIL 7 OLYMPIC CELEBRATION
The University of Vermont will honor the 12 athletes with UVM ties who competed in the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang. Former women's hockey standout and gold medalist Amanda Pelkey '15 (USA) and alpine skier Connor Wilson '21 (South Africa) will be honored on the field prior to the game.
 
All fans in attendance will receive a free UVM Olympic poster, and Pelkey and Wilson will be available for autographs following the pre-game ceremony. Tickets are available at a discounted rate of $2 and are free for kids 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased online at UVMathletics.com/Tickets on in person on gameday at the Gutterson Box Office.

Pelkey became the fifth Catamount ever to win Olympic gold after a dramatic Team USA shootout victory over rival Canada. Wilson, a freshman student at UVM, was the only Winter Olympic athlete to represent South Africa and served as the flag bearer at the opening ceremony.
 
WASHUTA THE WALL
Sophomore goalie Nick Washuta sits fifth in the NCAA and second in the America East with a .592 save percentage. His 7.49 goals against average is fourth in the country and second in the conference. Additionally, Washuta is third in the America East and 23rd-nationally with 10.00 saves/game. The Minnesota native is second on the team and 10th in the conference with 26 ground balls through 10 games.
 
VERMONT IN THE NCAA
The Catamounts possess the fifth-ranked scoring defense in the nation, allowing only 8.00 goals per game. On the other side of the field, the Catamount offense is tied for 19th-nationally, scoring 11.44 goals per game. Vermont's scoring margin is tied for 10th in the country with Colgate at 3.40 goals/game.
 
EARNING THE (CANADIAN) BACON
Five of Vermont's top-six scorers all hail from north of the border, and more specifically, Ontario.
 
MacKay leads the team with 33 points through nine games and hails from Port Elgin. Rob Hudson (Oakville) is second on the team with 23 points.
 
Liam Limoges and the lone American, Dawes Milchling, are tied for third on the team in scoring with 19 points. Limoges comes to Burlington from Toronto.
 
Ben French (Toronto) rounds out the top-five Catamount scorers with 18 points in eight games. Braiden Davis (Orangeville) is sixth on the team with 17 points. 
 
WHO WEARS THE HATS?
UVM has 11 hat tricks through ten games this season. MacKay has accounted for four, Limoges, French, and Hudson each have a pair, while Davis has a single three-goal game. 
 
Six different Catamounts accounted for 14 hat tricks over the course of the 2017 season.  
 
APRIL 21 VIRGINIA INFORMATION RELEASED
The UVM Alumni Association's Westchester/Fairfield Affinity Chapter, Athletic Director Jeff Schulman '89, and Vermont Men's Lacrosse invite you and your families to join us on Saturday, April 21, 2018 as they take on UVA in New Canaan, CT.  Please click here for more information, to buy game tickets through the Alumni Association and register for the reception.
 
More information on the weekend's schedule, including hotel, fan fest and schedule details, can be found at https://imlcagameoftheweek.com/.
 
NEXT UP
Vermont travels to Long Island to take on the Stony Brook Sea Wolves next weekend. The game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.
 
NFP is the presenting sponsor for the 2018 men's lacrosse season