BURLINGTON, Vt. – First year Tristan Whitaker scored a career-high five goals Saturday leading Vermont in a back and forth 13-12 win in a first-place showdown with Bryant from Virtue Field on Youth Day presented by Healthy Living. Vermont improved to 7-4 overall and 5-0 in America East action and Bryant falls to 8-3 and 4-1.
 
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COACH'S QUOTE
"I was really proud of how our defense really stepped up today, they got stops when it counted and found a way to finish at the end," Head Coach Chris Feifs said. "Also, great poise from our first years on the offensive end, Tristan Whitaker especially with five goals. Just a good team effort. Glad we were able to beat them at home and to be able to put ourselves in a good position within the conference."

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Catamounts offense opened the game firing. In the opening 5:32 of the contest David Closterman, Carson Boyle and Tristan Whitaker scored three goals on Vermont's first three shots of the game to build an early 3-1 edge.
• With 5:11 to play in the first quarter Brock Haley converted his 24th goal of the season with a shot along the turf to make it 4-1.
• The Bulldogs scored two goals 29 seconds apart leaving Vermont with a 4-3 lead after the first quarter.
• Vermont opened the second quarter with the first three goals to build a game-high four-goal lead. James Basile scored 1:56 into the second and then Whitaker and Derek Marsilio scored 36 seconds apart to make it 7-3 with 8:12 to play.
• Bryant came right back with three straight goals to end the third quarter. Aidan Goltz scored his second goal of the game with four seconds left in the half to make it 7-6 at the break.
• The Bulldogs scored the first two markers of the third quarter, 27 seconds apart to take their only lead of the game.
• Whitaker ended the five-goal Bryant run completing his first career hat trick and tying things up at eight with 9:17 left in the third quarter.
• In the final four minutes of the third quarter Whitaker and Carson Boyle scored 53 seconds apart, both assisted by Closterman, to give Vermont an 10-8 advantage heading to the final frame.
• Unfazed the Bulldogs scored the first two of the fourth to tie things up at 10 with 9:56 to play.
• Basile gave the Catamounts the lead back with a wraparound attempt with 8:19 to play. He got a half step on his defender and slammed it home for UVM just in front of the crease.
• With 4:57 to play Whitaker scored his fifth of the day, taking a feed from Basile and wiring a shot past Bryant's Teagan Alexander to make it 12-10.
• Goltz completed his hat trick with 2:09 to play to cut it back to a one-goal Vermont lead.
• Vermont's Ezra Zabukovic scored his first career goal with 53 seconds to play reestablishing the Cats two-goal edge once again. With Bryant pressing for possession, Zabukovic split two Bryant defenders and placed the ball into the empty net.
• Bryant wasn't done yet though, with 18 seconds to go Kevin Groeninger made it 13-12 and then the Bulldogs won the ensuing draw to setup a chance to send this to overtime. Goltz had two shots on net in the final 10 seconds but both missed wide and Vermont held on to secure first place in the league.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE                                                                                                                

• Vermont is now 6-1 this season when scoring at least 10 goals.
• Bryant entered today's matchup fifth in the NCAA in offense at 15.7 goals per game, Vermont held the Bulldogs to their second lowest output of the season with 12 goals.
• The Catamounts have won their last 17 games against conference opponents.
• Graduate goalkeeper Matt Shaffer made 11 saves Saturday in earning his sixth win of the season.
• With today's win, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to King Street Center as part of the Cats Win, Community Wins initiative. Since its inauguration in 2017, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group has donated over $80,000 to local non-profits through the Cats Win, Community Wins initiative. 

WHO'S NEXT
Vermont is back in action next Saturday, April 22 at noon as they host UMass Lowell on Senior Day presented by the UVM Alumni Association. The action will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with Brian McLaughlin on the call.