FINAL SCORE: Fairfield 12, Vermont 10
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Vermont (5-2) suffered its second loss of the season on a rain-soaked Wednesday, falling to Fairfield (4-1) 12-10 at Rafferty Stadium.
 
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Box Score
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"Wish we had a different outcome, but I am really proud of how we played," head coach Sarah Dalton Graddock said. "A lot of good things came out of this game, and areas that when we clean up, will put us in a better position to win."

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Christine Fabrizi quickly opened the scoring just 0:41 into the contest to give the Stags a 1-0 lead.
• Ava Vasile nearly tied the game on a free-position shot with 10:37 left in the opening quarter but was denied by Claire Morris (12 saves).
• The Fairfield lead doubled to 2-0 when Elizabeth Talluto fought off a UVM defender and scored her 16th goal of the season. Grace Slater was credited with an assist on the tally that came with 7:43 left in the first frame.
• McKenzie Ballard put the Catamounts on the board when she notched her 11th goal of the season. Vasile was credited with an assist on the tally that made the score 2-1 with 4:48 left in the quarter.
• Claire Adelhelm found Jane Trauger for the tying goal 1:24 later to knot the game at 2-2.
• Vasile's first goal gave Vermont its first lead of the afternoon when she registered her 27th goal of the season, coming on a free position with 2:16 left in the frame. The Cats would hold onto the 3-2 lead for the remainder of the first stanza.
• Fabrizi's second goal of the game tied the score at 3-3 with 2:23 into the second quarter.
• Erin Kloostra potted her first goal of the season with 9:25 left in the second quarter to put Vermont back in front. Ballard was credited the assist.
• Trauger's second goal of the game extended UVM's lead to 5-3 with 6:43 left in the opening half.
• The Stags and Catamounts exchanged goals in the final two minutes of the second quarter. Libby Rowe cut the Fairfield deficit to 5-4 with 1:35 left in the frame, but Vasile answered with her second goal to put UVM back up by two.
• Rylee Harrell made the score 6-5 with 0:24 left as the Cats held a 6-5 lead heading into the break.
• Grace Slater opened the second-half scoring, tying the game at 6-6 with her ninth goal of the season 0:50 into the third quarter.
• Sarah Bucher gave the Stags their first lead since the opening quarter, notching her second goal of the season to go up 7-6 with 7:40 left in the third frame. Talluto was credited with the assist on the goal and netted her second goal of the game minutes later to make the score 8-6.
• Rowe stretched the Fairfield lead to three goals, up 9-6 with 3:14 left in the third quarter.
• Trauger registered a hat trick with an unassisted goal in the final minutes of the frame as the Cats headed to the fourth quarter down 9-7.
• Maggie Fort and Talluto distanced the Stags from the Catamounts with a pair of goals in the fourth quarter, taking an 11-7 lead with 5:50 left.
• Vasile snapped the 2-0 Fairfield run with her third goal of the game to cut the UVM deficit to three with 3:16 remaining.
• Amanda Kozak put the Stags back up by four goals, leading 12-8 with 1:55 to go.
• Ballard and Ciera Licare scored in the final minutes for a 12-10 final score.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Catamounts had the edge on the draws, recording 17 draw controls to Fairfield's nine. Lydia Doraz won a team-high six draw controls.
• Vasile recorded six points, tallying three goals and three assists. The graduate student recorded 11 shots, had four draw controls, and caused two turnovers.
• Trauger's three goals came on five shots.
• Kloostra's goal was her first since Apr. 15, 2023 when she scored a pair against Rutgers.
• Anna Rosenberger matched a season-high nine saves.

UP NEXT
Vermont heads back on the road for a trip to Villanova on Sunday (Mar. 10). The matchup with the Wildcats is set for 1 p.m. ET at Villanova Stadium and will broadcast live on FloSports.