Women’s Lax Hunts Playoff Spot on Saturday at New Hampshire

WOMEN'S LACROSSE NOTEBOOK
Vermont women's lacrosse (4-5, 4-3 AE) looks to clinch an America East Tournament berth on Saturday (Apr. 24) when it visits New Hampshire (3-5, 2-4 AE) at Wildcat Stadium. The opening draw is scheduled for 6 p.m. and can be seen live on AmericaEast.TV.

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CLINCHING SCENARIO
The Catamounts can secure a postseason berth for the first time since 2015 with a win on Saturday combined with a Binghamton (3-3, 3-3 AE) loss to UMBC. The Bearcats visit UMBC (5-4, 4-3 AE) at on Saturday at 12 p.m.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
New Hampshire sits in sixth place in the America East standings and has a 2-3 mark in its last five games. The Wildcats are led by Julia Neyland with a team-high 21 goals and 26 points. The senior ranks fourth in the conference in points per game and fifth in goals per game. Neyland also tallies 8.57 shots per game, which is the second-highest average in the league. Issy Torres has been New Hampshire's starting goalkeeper with a .422 save percentage and 12.02 goals against average.

INSIDE THE SERIES
The twin state rivalry is the longest standing rivalry in school history. The programs have met on an annual basis since 1983. The Catamounts have won six of the last 10 meetings, including a win over UNH in March at Virtue Field. Vermont's victory over the Wildcats snapped a four-game skid against the America East foe.

EARLIER MEETING
UVM took the first meeting of the season with a 13-4 victory over New Hampshire on March 12. The Catamounts' defense held UNH to only one goal in the second half. Sophie McLaughlin registered a season-high 16 saves, which is the second-highest mark in conference play this season. On attack, Vermont was led by Ava Vasile with five points (2 goals, 3 assists). McKenzie Ballard added four points with a hat trick and one assist.

RETURN HOME
The Catamounts return to Virtue Field on May 1 for the final home game of the regular season. Vermont hosts UMass Lowell on Senior Night presented by the UVM Alumni Association. The Catamounts last hosted the River Hawks on Senior Night in 2018 when Vermont took a 16-11 victory.

VASILE IN THE LEAGUE RANKS
Sophomore Ava Vasile ranks in the top 10 among America East competitors in 10 statistical categories. Offensively, Vasile has the fifth-most goals (25) and the seventh-most points (31). She averages the eighth-highest goals per game (2.78), and the ninth-highest points per game (3.44). The Milford, Massachusetts native also tallies 6.56 shots per game, which ranks sixth in the conference – her shot total (59) is also sixth. Defensively, Vasile has scooped up the fifth-highest ground balls (23) in the league, an average of 2.56 per game that is sixth in the conference. Vasile has also caused the eighth-most turnovers (12) at a rate of 1.33 per game that ranks seventh in America East.

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