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The Vermont Catamounts open the 2020 season with a game against the Holy Cross Crusaders (1-1, 0-0 Patriot) at 1:05 p.m. tomorrow at Kuzniewski Field in Worcester, Massachusetts.
 
Live stats are available through the Holy Cross athletics site using the link below.
 
RELATED LINKS
Live Stats | Game Notes (.pdf)
 
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS
Holy Cross enters Saturday with a 1-1 record in 2020. The Crusaders defeated Division I newcomer Merrimack, 13-12, in their season opener before falling at Providence, 6-4.
 
With 9.00 goals against per game, Holy Cross is tied for 14th in the country. However, the Holy Cross defense has allowed four EMO goals in five attempts this season.
 
Senior Dan O'Connell, one of the best FOGOs in the country in 2019, enters the weekend with a 65.8% success rate at the X. He ranks 14th in the nation in 2020.
 
The Crusaders are led offensively by Kyle Kodzis (4-1-5), Connor Waldron (2-3-5), and Dean DiNanno (2-2-4).
 
Jonathan Tesoro has made 18 saves in the two games so far this season. He holds a .500 save percentage and 9.00 goals against average.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Vermont holds a 17-7 all-time record against Holy Cross in a series dating back to 1982.  Vermont has won four consecutive games in the series as the schools have met annually since 2016. UVM won 11 straight games in the series from 1985-2006.
 
LAST YEAR AT VIRTUE
Vermont clawed out a 9-7 home win over Holy Cross last February on Virtue Field.  The Catamounts jumped to a 4-0 lead in the first quarter and held a 5-2 lead at halftime.  Nick Washuta made nine saves in the first half and finished the game with 13.
 
David Closterman recorded his second hat trick of the season in the win.  Liam Limoges finished the game with one goal and three assists. Dan O'Connell went 15-for-20 at the X to help keep the Crusaders within striking distance.
 
LAST TIME IN WORCESTER
Two seasons ago, Vermont cruised to a 15-3 win over Holy Cross in Worcester.  Vermont improved to 4-0 with the win behind a second half shutout from Washuta and the Catamount defense. Braiden Davis '19 and Rob Hudson recorded hat tricks in the win.
 
The victory in Worcester catapulted UVM into the top-20 national rankings for the first time in 23 seasons.
 
WASHUTA EARNS INSIDE LACROSSE RECOGNITION
Senior goalie Nick Washuta earned Inside Lacrosse Preseason Honorable Mention All-America honors ahead of his senior campaign in 2020. The Orono, Minnesota native was an Honorable Mention All-American as a sophomore in 2018 and an America East First Team All-Conference honors in 2019.
 
FRENCH 100
Senior captain Ben French recorded his 100th career point in the 2019 America East Championship. He is just the 10th Catamount to reach 100 career points since 2000.
 
French enters his senior season with 102 career points. He is tied for 22nd in program history in career points, tied with Tom Reynolds '84. With 78 goals, French is tied for 18th in UVM history with UVM Hall-of-Famer Scott Montgomery '88.
 
TOP-10 DEFENSE
The Catamount defensive unit finished the 2019 campaign 10th in the country, allowing just 10.00 goals per game. It marked the second straight season the Feifs led defense finished the year in the NCAA top-10. In 2018, Vermont allowed just 8.06 goals per game to rank eighth in the country. UVM has boasted the strongest defense in America East each of the last two seasons.