FINAL SCORE: Vermont 4, #5 Cornell 3
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Two goals from Julia Mesplède and the game-winning goal from Lauren O'Hara towards the end of the second frame helped propel Vermont (6-9-2, 2-5-1 HEA) over No. 5 Cornell (9-3-1, 6-2-0 ECAC) 4-3 on Friday night from Gutterson Fieldhouse. With the win, the Catamounts notched their first win over a top five ranked opponent since the 2021-22 season when they topped at the time No. 1 Northeastern 2-1.
 
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COACH'S QUOTE
"Great team win for us today and proud of the entire team's effort," said Head Coach Jim Plumer. "We have been struggling in the second period of games, and we really focused on that today and were rewarded with a 3-1 advantage in that period. Credit to our Power Play for scoring again tonight and our Penalty Kill came up big late in the third period. Excited for our entire group and looking forward to the rematch tomorrow."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Vermont opened the scoring on the power play 4:13 into the first period. Mesplède notched her third goal of the season with a chance in the slot. O'Hara made a move and cut to the net, but a Big Red defender poked the puck off O'Hara. The loose puck came right to Mesplède who fired a shot under the bar to make it 1-0. It was just the fifth power play goal against Cornell this year.
• The Big Red equalized with 9:53 to play in the opening frame. Rose Dwyer lifted a cross-zone breakout pass to Avi Adam and with speed she broke in alone on UVM's Ellie Simmons. She tucked her shot inside the far post just under Simmons blocker to make it 1-1.
• Cornell took the lead with 2:46 to play in the first period. On a great individual rush Delaney Fleming cut into the Vermont zone and as she skated across the top of the slot between two UVM defenders she fired a shot just under the crossbar to make it 2-1.
• 25 seconds into the second period Ashley Kokavec equalized for the Catamounts with a fortuitous dump in. From center ice she fired a puck into the Cornell zone, it fluttered high off a Big Red stick, and their goaltender never saw it as it flew into the net.
• At the 4:02 mark of the middle frame Mesplède's second of the night gave Vermont the lead back. She tried a net drive and Cornell's Annelies Bergmann made the initial save. But as she shuffled back into her crease, she inadvertently deflected the puck past the red line. Rose-Marie Brochu and Natalie Zarcone earned assists on the play.
• Cornell tied things up at three apiece on the power play with 6:15 to play in the middle frame. Lindzi Avar made a great initial move and beat Simmons with a quick shot.
• As a late power play chance expired for Vermont, they again established a one-goal lead at 4-3. Zarcone fired a shot from the point that Bergmann made the initial save on. Brochu had one hack at the rebound and then O'Hara knocked it home amongst a sea of bodies for her second goal of the season.
• Simmons stood tall during the entirety of the final period, making 13 crucial saves including three down the stretch with less than four minutes remaining while the Big Red were up a player, anchoring Vermont to the 4-3 win on home and, collecting their first top-five ranked win since the 2021-22 season.  

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• O'Hara notched a career high three points against Cornell, scoring her second goal of the season to go along with a career high two assists. O'Hara also tied a game high two blocks and recorded three shots on goal.
• Mesplède registered her first career multi-goal game, finding the back of the net twice against the Big Red. Mesplède also tied a career high three shots on goal. With the two goal performance, Mesplède is up to four goals on the season, a career high. 
• Brochu secured three assists on Friday night, a new career high in a single game. Brochu is up to nine total assists on the season, tying her career high.
• Zarcone had two assists, her first career multi-assist game. Zarcone is up to four assists on the season, knotting her career high. 
• Kokavec scored her first goal of the season against Cornell to go along with two shots on goal and two blocked shots.
• Anna Podein earned her first point of the season, securing one assist.
• Simmons made 27 saves en route her third win starting between the pipes this season.
• Kaylee Lewis tied a game-high four shots on goal.
• Vermont scored one power play goal on Friday. The Catamounts have scored on the power play in four of their last five contests, scoring six power play goals in those five contests.
• Both teams went 50% from the faceoff dot, each winning 24 out of 48 faceoffs. Brochu led a team-high 12 faceoff wins.  
• With this evening's 4-3 decision, Community Bank N.A. will donate $200 to Special Olympics Vermont. Community Bank, N.A. donates $50 per goal to Special Olympics Vermont for every goal the men's and women's team scores this season.
• With tonight's Win, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to the Lund Family Center through the Cat's Win, Community Win's initiative. Vermont Mutual has donated over $5 Million Dollars since launching their Charitable Giving Fund in 2014.

 
UP NEXT
The Catamounts and No. 5 Cornell are back at it tomorrow afternoon from Gutterson Fieldhouse with a 3 p.m. puck drop. Owen Gund will have the call on ESPN+. Following the game on Saturday the Catamounts will host a Postgame Skate with the Cats. Fans are encouraged to bring their skates and a helmet to join UVM on the ice.
 
For news and updates about the Vermont women's hockey program, follow @UVMwhockey on Instagram, X, and Facebook, and visit UVMathletics.com.
 
The Windjammer Inn and Conference Center is the presenting sponsor of the UVM women's hockey program