The University of Vermont women’s lacrosse took care of business in their America East semifinal game. The top seeded Catamounts were tested by the No. 4 seed University of Baltimore Maryland County Retrievers, but it was ultimately Vermont who prevailed with a 10-7 victory. Vermont now moves on the America East championship game. “It’s unbelievable. I’m so proud of my team,” said Vermont graduate attacker Maddie Erskine. “I’m every emotional. This means a lot.”The Retrievers jumped out a 3-1 first quarter lead, but the Catamounts responded with five straight unanswered goals in the second quarter to give themselves a 6-5 advantage heading into halftime. Vermont’s Lydia Doraz led the scoring charge putting in all three of her team-high three goals in just the second quarter of play. “That’s what you expect from big time players like Lydia,” said Vermont women’s lacrosse head coach Sarah Dalton Graddock. “She was able to kind of get the monkey off her back and just help us breather a little bit.”In the second half, it was Erskine who stepped up as the hero for Vermont. After UMBC tied the game back up at 6-6 to cap off a 3-0 run of their own, she scored a pair of goals to give Vermont the lead back, a lead they did not relinquish. “For the first goal I had, we went into a power play and I just know that me and (Caitlin) Haggerty will be cutting around to try to get the defenders on their toes,” Erksine said. “Lauren (Lefebvre) saw me and she’s a really good feeder so I just knew I had to shoot the ball and get it into the back of the net.””The second one I haven’t been dodging a ton this year, so it was my time to dodge,” she added. “I just saw an opening, and I shot it and I was just excited when it went into the back of the net.”Both goals in the big moment helped things come full circle for Erskine. The 5th year attacker opted to come back her one final year of eligibility with Vermont, after battling multiple knee injuries. Her hard work in the offseason to return paid off, scoring two big goals in Vermont’s biggest game of the season. “I’ve been so lucky to get this fifth year,” Erksine said. “I’m so lucky to be back out on the field and have my teammates and my staff and our coaches support me to be out there. I couldn’t have asked for a better support system.”Vermont, who is hosting the America East women’s lacrosse tournament as the conference regular season champions for the first time in program history, got to hear a large crowd of home fans cheer them to help put themselves one step closer at their second America East title in program history. “We had so many people here,” Erksine said. “So many teams came to support us. It’s been so fun … We were just so happy they got to come out and cheer for us … We’re hoping that a ton of people come out again on Sunday!”Vermont will play ___ right back at Virtue Field at 12 p.m. with the America East championship crown up for grabs. The winner earns an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.
The University of Vermont women’s lacrosse took care of business in their America East semifinal game.
The top seeded Catamounts were tested by the No. 4 seed University of Baltimore Maryland County Retrievers, but it was ultimately Vermont who prevailed with a 10-7 victory. Vermont now moves on the America East championship game.
Advertisement
“It’s unbelievable. I’m so proud of my team,” said Vermont graduate attacker Maddie Erskine. “I’m every emotional. This means a lot.”
The Retrievers jumped out a 3-1 first quarter lead, but the Catamounts responded with five straight unanswered goals in the second quarter to give themselves a 6-5 advantage heading into halftime. Vermont’s Lydia Doraz led the scoring charge putting in all three of her team-high three goals in just the second quarter of play.
“That’s what you expect from big time players like Lydia,” said Vermont women’s lacrosse head coach Sarah Dalton Graddock. “She was able to kind of get the monkey off her back and just help us breather a little bit.”
In the second half, it was Erskine who stepped up as the hero for Vermont. After UMBC tied the game back up at 6-6 to cap off a 3-0 run of their own, she scored a pair of goals to give Vermont the lead back, a lead they did not relinquish.
“For the first goal I had, we went into a power play and I just know that me and (Caitlin) Haggerty will be cutting around to try to get the defenders on their toes,” Erksine said. “Lauren (Lefebvre) saw me and she’s a really good feeder so I just knew I had to shoot the ball and get it into the back of the net.”
“The second one I haven’t been dodging a ton this year, so it was my time to dodge,” she added. “I just saw an opening, and I shot it and I was just excited when it went into the back of the net.”
Both goals in the big moment helped things come full circle for Erskine. The 5th year attacker opted to come back her one final year of eligibility with Vermont, after battling multiple knee injuries. Her hard work in the offseason to return paid off, scoring two big goals in Vermont’s biggest game of the season.
“I’ve been so lucky to get this fifth year,” Erksine said. “I’m so lucky to be back out on the field and have my teammates and my staff and our coaches support me to be out there. I couldn’t have asked for a better support system.”
Vermont, who is hosting the America East women’s lacrosse tournament as the conference regular season champions for the first time in program history, got to hear a large crowd of home fans cheer them to help put themselves one step closer at their second America East title in program history.
“We had so many people here,” Erksine said. “So many teams came to support us. It’s been so fun … We were just so happy they got to come out and cheer for us … We’re hoping that a ton of people come out again on Sunday!”
Vermont will play ___ right back at Virtue Field at 12 p.m. with the America East championship crown up for grabs. The winner earns an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.
