Final: Vermont 9, Bellarmine 7 | Box Score
BURLINGTON, Vt. - Senior Shay Cunningham (Southborough, Mass.) and freshman Derek Lichtfuss (Lutherville, Md.) each scored three goals to lead Vermont to a 9-7 victory against Bellarmine at Moulton Winder Field on Sunday afternoon. The Catamounts opened up a 6-0 lead in the first half and went on to improve to 1-6 with the win in their home opener. Bellarmine fell to 6-2 with the loss. The Knights had won six straight entering the game after dropping the season opener at No. 10 North Carolina.

Senior Clayton Phillips-Dorsett (Manchester, Vt.) added two goals and sophomore Ryan Gillette (Lowville, N.Y.) scored his third goal of the season for the Catamounts. Senior Justin Lubas (Freehold, N.J.) made 10 saves and Vermont's defense held Bellarmine scoreless for the first 26 minutes and 28 seconds in the game.

Junior Matt Holland had a pair of goals for Bellarmine. Junior Bobby Snider went 11-for-17 on face offs for the Knights.

Vermont out shot BU 14-1 in the first quarter and opened up a 5-0 cushion.

Cunningham scored back-to-back goals to start the game on feeds from junior Andrew Kelleher (Delmar, N.Y.) to make it 2-0 Vermont at the 8:32 mark. Cunningham added a third goal in the first with 3:18 remaining, after Gillette and Lichtfuss had also scored goals, to make it 5-0.

Phillips-Dorset put a rocket shot past BU goalie Justin Burks from the left wing to give the Catamounts a 6-0 cushion with 3:32 left in the second quarter.

Bellarmine rattled off the last three goals of the second to cut the deficit to 6-3 at halftime.

The Catamounts outscored the Knights 3-2 in the third quarter to take a 9-5 advantage. Philips-Dorsett scored a man-up goal on an assist from junior Brandon Goodwyn (Bethesda, Md.) and Lichtfuss added two goals.

Bellarmine pulled within 9-7 with a goal by junior Sean Thomson with 9:14 left in the game but could get no closer.

UVM out shot BU 37-24. Vermont went 7-for-20 on face offs.

Vermont returns to action on Tuesday (3/25) at Brown at 3:00pm.

NOTES: Today was the first-ever meeting between Vermont and Bellarmine ... Lubas and Kelleher each had a team-high five ground balls ... Kelleher has a team best 12 points this season ... Lichtfuss ranks second on the team in scoring with six goals and eight points.

PUBLISHED

03-23-2008
Chris Wojcik