Vermont women’s basketball looked like they were about to pull off a shocker against Power 4 giant Oregon, keeping pace and making everyone at Patrick Gym believe an upset was absolutely brewing at halftime. The Catamounts, playing in front of 920 fans who were treated to a rare home game against a team of Oregon’s caliber, trailed by just three points, 35-32, after the first 20 minutes on Wednesday, Nov. 11. They were even hanging tough on the boards, getting outrebounded only 15-12. This was no joke: Oregon had never even played an America East team before! Head coach Kelly Graves, coaching in his 44th state, had to be feeling some heat.
The First-Half Spark That Almost Caught Fire
Through those first 20 minutes, Vermont went toe-to-toe with the Ducks. They even battled in the first quarter without hitting a single three-pointer. Catherine Gilwee, Savanna Creal, and Meja Jagerskog were getting into the paint, driving for those crucial layups. And get this: the Catamounts nearly wiped out an 11-point lead in the second quarter, going on a huge 17-7 run right after a timeout! Gilwee ended up with 17 points, and Creal dropped 13, making them the only Catamounts to hit double digits. Head coach Maureen Magarity was super proud, saying, “It was tremendous to have a team the caliber of Oregon come to Patrick and it was just a great experience for our program, fans and our university. I’m really pleased with our fight.” That’s the spirit you love to see!
Oregon Drops the Hammer in a Brutal Third Quarter
But man, the second half, that’s where Oregon turned on the jets and pulled away for an 81-56 victory. The Ducks used a dominant third quarter, outscoring Vermont a brutal 28-11. The Catamounts shot a shocking 1-of-12 from the field in that third quarter, and Oregon, now 3-1, just took advantage. Ehis Etute and Katie Fiso absolutely torched Vermont in the paint, combining for 16 points in that frame alone. Etute was a beast, putting up a double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds on an insane 11-of-12 shooting from the field. Fiso added 18 points, and Mallory Heyer chipped in 10 for the Ducks. Oregon’s height advantage was glaring, blocking nine shots and shutting down the three-point line, which has been Vermont’s strength in their two wins. Coach Magarity hit it on the head: “We have to continue to work on finding a real big inside to match some of these opponents.” The Catamounts, now 2-2, also left some points at the free throw line, which stings even more when you’re fighting a Power 4 team.
Heartbreak on the Field Hockey Pitch Too
It wasn’t just on the basketball court where Vermont battled tough. The field hockey team, sitting at a strong 14-6, also had a chance to make history in the Opening Round of the 2026 NCAA Field Hockey Tournament. They were playing Saint Joseph’s, trying for the program’s first ever tournament victory! Emily Enden got them on the board in the second quarter with a penalty corner goal, giving Vermont a 1-0 lead. But Saint Joseph’s, now 12-9, shut down the Catamounts’ offense in the second half, with Vermont only getting three shots on goal compared to Saint Joseph’s seven. The Hawks tied it up in the 50th minute on their lone penalty corner in the fourth quarter. Vermont’s defense was clutch in overtime, battling away four penalty corners, but ultimately, they fell short in a shootout, losing 2-1 with Saint Joseph’s taking the shootout 4-3. Talk about a gut punch! Saint Joseph’s now moves on to play top-seeded Northwestern on Friday, Nov. 13, at Northwestern’s Lakeside Field, which is, funnily enough, where both of Vermont’s NCAA Tournament losses have now happened.
Both of these Vermont teams showed incredible fight against tough opponents. For the basketball squad, the key moving forward is definitely finding that inside presence Coach Magarity talked about. As for field hockey, even with the loss, the fact they were *right there* for a program first speaks volumes. You gotta feel for them, but what a battle!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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