BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Vermont field hockey team fired 17 shots on goal but it was the UMass Lowell defense that won the day as the Riverhawks defeated the Catamounts 2-1 in a shootout Wednesday afternoon.
 
UVM drops to 0-6 and 0-4 in league action while UMass Lowell improves to 5-3 and 3-2 in conference play.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score | Box Score (pdf.)
CatamounTV Highlights
 
COACH'S QUOTE
 
"I thought our players did a tremendous job creating more quality chances inside the circle. The keeper from Lowell made some really nice saves today especially in the shootout to close the game out for them," head coach Kate Pfeifer said. "To put up 17 shots on goal when that's something that has been plaguing us a bit the first few games is really significant. I want so badly for them to get the result."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cats got on the board first striking in the latter stages of the first quarter. Sydney Melfi forced a turnover in the midfield and drove towards the cage. She drew out the River Hawk keeper and found Kate Hall at the top of the circle. Hall didn't miss her chance on the one-timer and it was 1-0 Vermont.
• Lowell answered back early in the second. A loose ball in front of Sierra Espeland's cage found the stick of Grace Davis who sent a pass through traffic to Hannah Keefe who made no mistake and tied the game at 1-all.
• Vermont had a golden chance to make it 2-1 but a penalty stroke from first-year Puck Kwaspen sailed just high over the cross bar.
• Lowell goalie Eleonore Boekhorst (15 saves) made a trio of saves at the end of regulation on prime scoring chances from a Vermont penalty corner to send the game to overtime.
• UMass Lowell scored on its first two attempts in the shootout – a back-hand flick from Kate Miller and a running effort from Berbel Rozema – and Boekhorst held Vermont without a goal in four attempts to clinch it. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Vermont peppered the Lowell cage with 17 shots on goal – a season-high. The Cats had 13 shots on goal entering today's action.
• Sierra Espeland (eight saves) lowered her goals against average to 1.65 this season.
• Kate Hall's second goal of the season gives her none for her career.
• UVM had nine penalty corners to UMass Lowell's three.

WHO'S NEXT
Vermont plays the middle game of a three-game homestand on Saturday afternoon when New Hampshire pays a visit to Burlington. The Wildcats and Catamounts get underway at 3 p.m.