Graduate defenseman Ellice Murphy scored two goals for the Catamounts
Murphy Scores Twice As Vermont Notches 6-1 Win Over UConn
Graduate defenseman Ellice Murphy scored two goals for the Catamounts

Box Score - Highlights

BURLINGTON, Vt. - The 15th-ranked Vermont women's hockey team scored three goals in each of the first two periods on their way to a 6-1 win over No. 14 UConn Saturday afternoon at Gutterson Fieldhouse. The five-goal margin is the largest ever by the Catamounts in a win over a ranked opponent. With the win Vermont is now 4-1-1 on the campaign and 2-1-1 in league play.


COACH'S QUOTE

"I'm very proud of the way we played today," Head Coach Jim Plumer said. "We got off to a strong start and it was nice to see the scoring spread around. I'm also pleased that we responded to UConn's push at the start of the second and were able to wrestle the momentum back. Credit to our entire lineup but especially happy for Ellice Murphy who scored two key goals, Evelyne Blais-Savoie who had a three-point day and first year Lara Beecher who scored her first collegiate goal and also notched two assists. "


HOW IT HAPPENED

- Vermont opened the scoring 2:55 into the first period. Evelyne Blais-Savoie cut behind the UConn net and centered a feed to Sini Karjalainen who was creeping down from the point. Karjalainen one-timed the pass and it deflected off a UConn defender and through Tia Chan for her first goal of the season. Hailey Burns earned the secondary assist on the play.

- Theresa Schafzahl continued her torrid start to the 2022-23 campaign to double the Catamounts advantage 12:06 into the first period. In transition Natálie Mlynková found Schafzahl with a cross-ice pass and Schafzahl fired a wrist shot past Chan for her seventh goal of the season. Corinne McCool also received an assist on the play.

- Ellice Murphy stretched the UVM advantage to three with 1:28 left in the opening stanza. Murphy converted on a goal-mouth scramble in front of Chan for her first goal of the season. Schafzahl centered a feed from behind the net and Murphy's second whack at the puck found the back of the net. Lara Beecher earned an assist on the play.

- Beecher's first career goal made it 4-0 3:21 into the middle frame. On the forecheck Hailey Burns was hit by a UConn defender behind the net and Burns and the Huskies goaltender were wiped out on the play. Beecher stopped the puck along the boards, curled into the slot and fired a shot into the empty net.

- UConn got one back on the power play 6:42 into the second period. Kate Thurman centered a feed that deflected off a Vermont defender and right to her teammate Coryn Tormala. With UVM's Jessie McPherson wrong-footed on the play Tormala stashed it home to make it 4-1.

- With 2:52 left in the second Murphy added another on a UVM power play to regain the four-goal edge for the Catamounts. Murphy harassed a UConn player into a turnover and Blais-Savoie pounced. Chan stopped Blais-Savoie's shot in the slot but Murphy tapped the rebound home for her second of the game.

- Blais-Savoie got in on the fun with her own goal with just 16 seconds left in the second period. A UConn defender stumbled and Beecher pushed the puck free in the heart of the Huskies zone. Blais-Savoie corralled the puck, skated into the slot and roofed it for her third goal of the season.

- Sophomore Sydney Correa came on in the third period for Vermont seeing her first action of the season. She made six saves in the third period.


INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

- UVM outshot the Huskies 13-2 in the first period.

- Over the last 12 matchups with UConn Vermont is undefeated when scoring three or more goals.

- Saturday's two-goal game was the first of Ellice Murphy's career. In her last three games against the Huskies she has three goals.

- In the third period the teams played 15:31 without a whistle.

- With today's win, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to COTS, the Committee on Temporary Shelter, as part of the Cats Win, Community Wins initiative. Since the campaigns inauguration in 2017, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group has donated over $72,000 to local non-profits.


UP NEXT

The Catamounts continue with ranked matchups next weekend as they travel to face No. 6 Colgate in non-conference action from Hamilton, N.Y. On Friday, October 21 the teams will faceoff at 6 p.m. and then again on Saturday at 3 p.m. Both contests will air live on ESPN+.