VERMONT MEN'S LACROSSE NOTEBOOK
The Vermont Catamounts (9-7), the No. 3 seed in the America East Tournament, upset second-seeded and 14th-ranked Stony Brook, 10-9, in the semifinals to earn a berth in the America East Championship Game for the first time in program history.
 
Vermont will face No. 4 Hartford in the America East Championship Game at 10 a.m. at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium on the campus of the University at Albany. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and streamed online via AmericaEast.tv.
 
Hartford followed the Catamounts and upset top-seeded and No. 4 ranked Albany, 11-10, in overtime in the other semifinal matchup.
 
RELATED LINKS
CatamounTV Championship Game Promo
America East Championship Game Coverage: ESPNU | Live Stats | Live Video (free)
CatamounTV Highlights - America East Semifinals vs. Stony Brook 
Photo Gallery
America East Championship Central
America East Statistics
Vermont Statistics

HOW IT HAPPENED – No. 3 Vermont 10, No. 2 Stony Brook 9
Vermont earned its first-ever America East Tournament victory when junior Cam Milligan scored an incredible one-handed goal with his back to the net to give UVM the lead with 3:26 left in the contest. Junior Jon Kaplan, a four-time America East Defensive Player of the Week, helped the goal stand up with a season-high 17 save effort.
 
Vermont trailed by three, 6-3, but put together a four-goal rally to even the game and took a 7-6 lead with 5:46 left in the third. Stony Brook scored twice in the final 45 seconds of the period to regain an 8-7 advantage.
 
In the fourth quarter, Jack Knight opened the scoring to even the game again at 8-8. Chris Hughes answered for Stony Brook at the 7:29 mark on an unassisted tally to push SBU back in front, 9-8. Matt Gudas knotted the game with just over five minutes left and Milligan's goal shoved UVM in front for good.
 
KAPLAN NAMED AMERICA EAST DEFENDER OF THE WEEK
Junior Jon Kaplan was named the America East Defender of the Week for the second straight week and fourth time this season.
 
Kaplan helped the Catamounts overcome a five goal deficit to post a 17-9 win over Binghamton in the regular season finale on Saturday. The win helped UVM clinch a berth to the America East Tournament. Vermont is making back-to-back appearances in the postseason tournament for the first time in program history.
 
Kaplan made four stops in the third quarter as the Catamounts held the Bearcats scoreless in the period. He finished the game with 13 saves and allowed just two goals after halftime.
 
UVM's America East Weekly Award Winners
Feb. 22 – Ian MacKay, Offensive Player of the Week; Jon Kaplan, Defensive Player of the Week;Dawes Milchling, Rookie of the Week
March 14 – Dawes Milchling, Rookie of the Week
March 28 – Jon Kaplan, Defensive Player of the Week; Dawes Milchling, Rookie of the Week
April 18 – Ian MacKay, Offensive Player of the Week
April 25 – Jon Kaplan, Defensive Player of the Week
May 5 – Jon Kaplan, Defensive Player of the Week
 
STREAKING
Ian MacKay, the America East Offensive Player of the Year, owns the sixth longest points streak in Division I lacrosse. He's registered at least one point in 45 games (every game of his career). The streak dates back to Feb. 22, 2014. During the streak, MacKay has totaled 110 goals and 58 assists for 168 points.
 
MacKay is third in America East in points per game (4.36) and fourth in the league in goals per game (2.71).
 
CATS IN THE NATIONAL STATS
The Catamounts rank seventh in the country in assists per game (7.93), eighth in points per game (20.2) and the UVM offense is 13th in the country at 12.27 goals per game. Vermont's man-down defense is ranks 14th in the country (.697).
 
Among individual players, Ian MacKay ranks among the national leaders in four categories. He is second in the country in man-up goals (10), 11th in points per game (4.27) 18th in goals per game (2.6) and 29th in assists per game (1.67). Cam Milligan is 23rd in the country in assists per game (1.79) and Jon Kaplan ranks 15th in save percentage (.547).
 
RECORD BOOK UPDATE
A look at an updated record book shows that Ian MacKay's single season marks in goals (41) and points (67) rank as the ninth-best in each category.
 
MacKay has also moved into sixth in goals (110), eighth in assists (58) and seventh in points (168) among the all-time leaders at UVM. Cam Milligan's 64 career assists put him in sixth place among the all-time assist leaders.
 
Vermont's nine wins are the most under head coach Ryan Curtis in his 10 seasons. The nine victories are also the most in the program since the 2006 team won nine games. UVM has won four league games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history, marking the most America East wins in the program.
 
THE MATCHUP
Vermont and Hartford rank 3-4 in points per game (20.79 – UVM/17.47 – Hartford), goals per game (12.71 – UVM/10.53 – Hartford), and assists per game (8.07 – UVM/6.93 – Hartford) in the conference stats.
 
The two teams also rank 2-3 in ground balls per game (31 – Hartford/29 – UVM).
 
Vermont owns the top penalty kill percentage in the conference (.750).
 
SCOUTING HARTFORD
Hartford (10-6) upset fourth-ranked and top-seeded Albany, 11-10 in overtime in the other America East Semifinal. Justin Higgins netted a career-best five goals, including the game-winning tally with 2:32 left in extra time to lift the Hawks to the title game. Hartford is making its first appearance in the championship game since winning the title in 2011.
 
The Hawks have won six of their last eight and were 3-3 in league play.
 
Dylan Jinks leads the team in scoring with 54 points and ha a team-high 28 assists. Jaedon Henderson ranks second on the team in scoring with 40 points, while Griffin Feiner is the team's top goal scorer with 30 tallies and added four in the win over Hartford. Dylan Protesto is Hartford's top faceoff winning at the X 72 percent of the time. Against the Great Danes in the semifinals, Protest was 20-for-24 on face offs.
 
Ryan Vanderford is the top goalkeeper for the Hawks. He carries a .515 save percentage and 9.46 goals against average into the championship game.
 
As a team, the Hawks are averaging 10.56 goals per game, while allowing opponents just 9.56 goals per game.
 
THE SERIES
Vermont owns a 20-11 advantage over Hartford in the all-time series that dates back to 1987. UVM has won two straight over the Hawks, including a 13-4 victory in West Hartford, Connecticut on April 23, the second to last regular season game.
 
LAST TIME vs. HARTFORD (April 23) | Game Recap | Box Score
The Catamounts, which snapped a five-game win streak by the Hawks, held Hartford scoreless until the 8:16 mark of the third quarter and built a 9-0 lead. UVM led 12-1 after three quarters of play.
 
Cam Milligan and Ian MacKay netted hat tricks and a total of seven players scored for the Catamounts.
 
AMERICA EAST TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE - Championship Central
All games played at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium – University at Albany -  Albany, N.Y.
 
Thursday, May 5 – Semifinal Round
#3 Vermont 10, #2 Stony Brook 9
#4 Hartford 11, #1 Albany 10 (ot)

Saturday, May 7 – Championship Game
10:00 a.m. – No. 4 Hartford vs. No. 3 Vermont – broadcast on ESPNU
 
VERMONT'S AMERICA EAST TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The America East Tournament started in 2000
 
Making fifth America East Tournament appearance, first back-to-back appearances in school history.
 
America East Tournament Record (1-4)
2001 – Semifinals – No. 4 seed vs. No. 1 Towson – L, 18-7
2003 – Semifinals – No. 4 seed vs. No. 1 Hartford – L, 6-4
2010 – Semifinals – No. 4 seed vs. No. 1 Stony Brook – L, 10-6
2015 – Semifinals – No. 3 seed vs. No. 2 Stony Brook – L, 16-13
2016 – Semifinals – No. 3 seed vs. No. 2 Stony Brook – W, 10-9
 
America East All-Tournament Team Selections
2001 – Dave Hudescko
2003 – Brent Wilson, Lowell Thompson
2010 – AJ Masson, Drew Philie
2015 – Ian MacKay, Cam Milligan
 
HEAD COACH RYAN CURTIS
The 2016 season marks Vermont head coach Ryan Curtis' 10th year at the helm of the Catamounts. He ranks tired for second among the all-time winningest coaches in program history (48) and has led Vermont to three of the program's five America East Tournament appearances, including the first back-to-back appearance in program history.
 
The eight wins by the Catamounts this season are the most under Curtis and he has guided UVM to four league wins, a program record, in back-to-back seasons. Curtis has the most league wins in program history (16).
 
Curtis became the first coach in program history to earn America East Coach of the Year honors last season. He was also selected as the head coach of the North Team at the 2015 USILA North/South Senior All-Star Game.
 
Curtis graduated from Virginia in 2000 and was a member of the Cavaliers' national championship team in 1999. He was a two-time First Team NCAA All-American and named the NCAA Defensemen of the Year in 1999. A two-time captain at UVA, he was named to the 50th Anniversary All-ACC Team.
 
Curtis was also a member of the United State National Team that participated in the 2006 World Championships and won a silver medal.
 
CONFERENCE CALL
Four Vermont Catamounts garnered America East honors at the pre-tournament banquet prior to the 2016 America East Men's Lacrosse Tournament to be hosted on the campus of the University at Albany.
 
Junior Ian MacKay was named the America East Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the first Catamount to earn the honor in program history. He also earned a spot on the all-conference first team for the second straight year. The midfielder from Port Elgin, Ontario leads Vermont in points (64) and goals (39) and is tied for the team lead in assists (25). He has started all 15 games and owns a 44-game point streak, the sixth longest in Division I men's lacrosse.
 
MacKay ranks third in America East in points per game (4.36) and is fourth in the league in goals per game (2.71). He also ranks among the national leaders in four categories, including second in man-up goals (10).
 
Fellow Canadian and midfielder, Cam Milligan, earned a spot on the America East All-Conference Second Team for the second straight season. Milligan ranks second on the team in scoring with 50 points and is tied with MacKay for the team lead in assists (25). Milligan ranks 23rd in the nation in assists per game (1.79).
 
Newcomers Jack Knight and Dawes Milchling rounded out UVM's award winners. Both were named to the America East All-Rookie Team.
 
Knight, an attack from Greenwich, Connecticut, has played in 11 games and has started the last three contests. He has tallied 13 points on nine goals and four assists. Knight netted his first career hat trick in the regular season meeting at Stony Brook.
 
Milchling was named the America East Rookie of the Week three times during the regular season. An attack from Cockeysville, Maryland, Milchling has played in all 15 games, earning eight starts, and recorded 35 points. He ranks fourth on the team in points and goals (22).