Despite a tenacious defensive effort, the Cata-mounts were unable to control the University of New Hampshire’s high powered offense on Saturday afternoon in women’s Hockey East action.

The #4 ranked Wildcats (25-3-5, 17-1-1 Hockey East) were held to 25 shots, their second lowest total on the season.

UVM (3-26-2, 1-18-1 Hockey East) managed to put 12 shots on UNH goal tender Brittany Busa, who earned her first shutout of the season.

“This was an effort to be proud of today,” head coach Tim Bothwell said.

“To hold a team like that to under 30 shots is a real accomplishment, and shows us what we can do when we put our minds to it. Our effort level was excellent for 60 minutes.”

New Hampshire started the scoring at 8:46 in the first period, when Katie Holmes put a rebound past junior goalkeeper Jenilee Roy, who made her 15 start of the season.

The Wildcats were able to score again with 3:12 left in the period, thanks to Nicole Hekle, co-captain for New Hampshire.

Hekle also set up a power play goal in the second period, making a crisp pass to linemate Jennifer Hitchcock.

Hitchcock then put the puck over Roy’s glove to make the score 3-0.

Early in the second period, junior Karen Sentoff took a rebound and put a shot into goal that got jammed in Busa’s pads.

In the final stanza, UNH’s Kacey Bellamy went top shelf and scored her eighth goal of the season, following a tripping penalty called on Catamount captain, senior Kristen Norris.

Roy made 21 saves, keeping UNH in check for most of the game.

The Catamounts were in and out of the penalty box all game, committing eight penalties and giving up two power play goals.

“It’s easier to kill three or four penalties than it is to kill six or seven,” Both well said. “We took a few too many penalties today and that doesn’t help.”

The final home game of the University of Vermont’s regular season was at 2 p.m. on Sunday Feb. 25.

The Cats lost to UNH 8-1 in their regular season finale.

The Wildcats skated all over Vermont in the first period, outshooting the Catamounts 17-2, and taking a quick 3-0 lead.

Seniors Norris, Ashley Keane, Kattie Anderson, Jenny Hogan, Shivaun Siegl and Gabe Worzella were honored in this past weekend’s senior festivities.

“They’ve been through a lot, and they shepherded us into a new era,” Bothwell said.

“They have helped us get to a new level and start to become competitive nationally.”