UNH senior attacker Mickenzie Larivee and graduate attacker Teagan Northrup combined for 13 points to lead the Wildcats to a 20-14 victory over the University of Vermont on Saturday.
Larivee matched her season high in assists (two) and goals (five) while Northrup recorded a career-high three goals.
Senior attacker Catherine Sexton scored her 50th career goal finishing with four points.
Despite the loss Vermont was led by senior attacker Jenna Janes and redshirt first year midfielder Grace Giancola who combined for four goals and six assists.
The Wildcats improve to 10-5 overall and 5-1 in America East play tallying their second win in a row. Clinching a playoff birth on Friday, UNH is now tied for second in conference standings.
Vermont got things going early jumping out to a 1-0 lead less than two minutes into the game. However, Larivee answered at 25:51 and again at 23:05 sparking a 5-0 scoring run by the Wildcats.
Sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Blanding set up sophomore midfielder Gabby Masseur for the third goal at 20:12 and Northrup followed with an assist to Larivee 37 seconds later to extend the UNH lead to 4-1.
Larivee capped the run after cutting through two defenders and putting the ball in the top right corner of the net for her fourth goal. The Wildcats led 5-1 with 14:57 remaining in the first half.
Senior attacker Jenny Caoili scored the Catamounts second goal 30 seconds later to cut the lead to three, however the ‘Cats answered with another scoring run stretching the lead to 8-2 at 7:34.
In the seven-minute run Northrup tacked on the first goal followed by Larivee and graduate midfielder Devan Miller.
Attempting to cool the Wildcats down and chip away at the lead UVM called timeout and scored on the ensuing possession.
UNH’s offense stayed hot through the final seven minutes of the half putting up another three goals from Sexton, Miller and Powell, advancing the lead to 11-3 at half.
Sexton’s 50th career goal came at 18:19 in the second half and gave the ‘Cats a 15-8 lead.
The Catamounts cut the lead to three after scoring four consecutive goals in three minutes. 16-13 Wildcats at 10:47.
At 6:48 Larivee found sophomore midfielder Julia Neyland from behind the net for a goal. First year midfielder Abby Cranny found the back of the net a minute later to push the lead back to five in the final five minutes.
Masseur and Sexton scored New Hampshire’s 19th and 20th goals at 4:41 and 2:34, respectively.
UVM scored one last goal in the final minutes of play, but it was not enough to overcome the seven-goal deficit. UNH took the 20-14 win.
The ‘Cats wrap up the regular season with senior day against Stony Brook University on Sunday at 12 p.m. America East Championship play begins May 3 at Stony Brook.
