FINAL SCORE: Vermont 21, Utah 6
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Vermont Catamounts opened the 2019 men's lacrosse season with a 21-6 win over the Utah Utes in the inaugural game for Utah's program. Vermont moves to 1-0 on the season while the Utes drop to 0-1.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score | Highlights
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"I am proud of our team for getting the first win of the season against a really hard-nosed Utah team," head coach Chris Feifs said. "We definitely need to get back to work on cleaning some things up but overall I am proud of the offense and balanced scoring from guys like Ben French, Rob Hudson, and David Closterman. Thank you to Coach Holman and his staff for hosting us and for what they are doing to grow our game. Truly a first-class group."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Senior captain Dawes Milchling scored just 19 seconds into the season to put Vermont up 1-0. He added another goal and three assists to finish the game with five points. He matched a career-high with three assists.
• After Utah's Josh Stout made it 4-2 Vermont with 4:17 remaining in the opening quarter, UVM tallied the next six goals, capped with Ben French's third goal of the game on an EMO with 10:17 left in the second quarter.
• Utah scored the next two goals of the half and Vermont went into the break with a 10-4 lead over the Utes.
• The Cats went on a 6-1 run in the third quarter to push the lead to 16-5 heading into the fourth quarter. Freshman Jonathon McConvey scored his first career goal halfway through the quarter.
• Thomas McConvey scored his first career goal with 1:40 left in the fourth. Utah native Jack Mintz assisted on the goal. Vermont added another pair before the final horn to finish the game with 21 goals.

GAME NOTES

• David Closterman, Sal Iaria, Jake Quilty, Thomas McConvey, and Jonathon McConvey all recorded their first career goals. Closterman would lead the newcomers with three goals on the night, his first career hat trick.
• French finished the game with four goals and two assists. He nearly matched his career-high in goals and points, finishing one shy in both. French had five goals and seven points in a 2017 meeting with Dartmouth.
• Hudson recorded his second career hat trick in the 2019 opener. He tallied two first quarter goals and finished off the hat trick in the third quarter.
• Eight Catamounts recorded multi-point games and 13 players found the scoresheet. Seven Catamounts scored two or more goals.
• Vermont held the advantage over Utah in shots (45-29), shots on goal (32-15), ground balls (26-22), and face offs (16-13).
• UVM went 3-for-3 on EMO opportunities. French tallied two EMO goals and J. McConvey added the third.
• Vermont tallied 21 goals, marking the first time they've scored 20 or more since 2007, when Vermont defeated Hartford in the season finale.
• With the victory, the Cats Win, Community Wins campaign and Vermont Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to Make-A-Wish Vermont; bringing this year's total to 20 wins and $2,000.

UP NEXT
Vermont meets the Naval Academy for the first time in program history next weekend in Annapolis, Maryland. The game is slated to begin at 12 p.m. the action will be streamed live on the Patriot League Network.