Box Score Box Score
MIDDLEBURY, Vermont – Middlebury defeated Williams for the
second time in three days, as the Panthers ended the Ephs season
with a 2-1 victory on Kohn Field in a NESCAC Quarterfinal contest.
Middlebury advances to play Bowdoin in a semifinal contest next
Saturday at Tufts (1:30), while the host school meets Trinity in
the other semifinal matchup (11:00). The winners will battle for
the NESCAC Championship at noon on Sunday.
Williams season ends with a record of 6-9. The one-goal loss
Sunday was the Ephs fourth straight, the first three of which came
in overtime.
"It hurts for the seniors to go out this way," Ephs head coach
Alix Rorke said. "It's always tough to see your seniors go, but I
am glad our younger players got a taste of this so we can build on
it next season."
Middlebury controlled play in the first half, holding an 11-1
shots advantage over Williams. The Panthers finally broke through
with just 2:45 remaining in the session, on their ninth penalty
corner of the game. Chase Delano finished off a flurry, after shots
by Mullery Doar and Allison Grant had been saved by Katrina Tulla.
The Panthers doubled their lead on another penalty corner goal
in the second half, this one with 22:24 remaining. Delano carried
the ball towards the goal and around a defender before scoring her
team-leading 23rd goal of the season, tying a Middlebury
single-season record.
Williams did not go away as they pressured the Panthers with
seven penalty corners in the second half. The Ephs cut the lead in
half with 16:31 left as Jess Overlander took a corner pass and
drove to the goal before finishing with a shot to the back of the
cage.
The Ephs kept up the pressure over the final minutes, but
Panther goalie Caitlin Pentifallo made a pair of saves to earn the
win, while Tulla made seven stops for the Ephs.
"It was a very exciting half," Rorke said. "We came up with a
valiant effort after starting the game a little nervous. We fought
until the very end but unfortunately came up short."
