Photo Credit: Grady Congleton
FINAL SCORE: Fairfield 1, Vermont 0 | Box Score
Photos | Highlights

BURLINGTON, Vt. – Michelle Onofrio scored the only goal of the contest just 2:35 in to lead Fairfield to a 1-0 victory over the University of Vermont field hockey team in America East action on Saturday afternoon at Moulton Winder Field. The Catamounts had many chances on the offensive end, but came up just short as they drop their second straight 1-0 game.

Off a penalty corner early in the first half Michelle Loor collected the ball just inside the circle on the right side and took a shot that Onofrio deflected past Vermont’s Kristen Heavens (Harwinton, Conn.) for the only goal of the contest.

Following the Fairfield goal, the Catamounts controlled play for the remainder of the first half keeping the ball deep in the Stags end of the field. Vermont earned nine penalty corners and took 13 shots in the opening 35 minutes of play, but was unable to convert.

“We are competing at a high level and I am proud of the growth of the team,” said Vermont head coach Nicki Houghton. “We are doing the right things and improving every day, we just can’t put the ball in the back of the net. We can’t capitalize on our opportunities and not scoring just puts more internal pressure on ourselves. Credit to Fairfield, they played well.”

Heavens finished the game with seven saves, while Megan Ambrose made four stops for Fairfield (5-12, 1-4 America East). The Cats out shot the Stags 17-14 and held a 15-3 edge in penalty corner attempts for the game. Vermont sophomore Sarah Becque (Westborough, Mass.) recorded her team-high eighth defensive save of the season in the game.

The Cats (1-16, 0-5 America East) wrap up the season on Sunday when they host Providence starting at 1 p.m. The game will mark the final home contest for five Catamount seniors: Heavens, Joanna Berger (Rhinebeck, N.Y.), Megan Maynard (Waterbury Center, Vt.), Sarah Meacham (North Hartland, Vt.) and Chelsea Stevenson (Crosswicks, N.J.). This group has made 176 combined career starts, defeated three ranked opponents and advanced to the America East Tournament twice.