Box Score
MIDDLEBURY,
Vt.–Middlebury
has
advanced to the NESCAC semifinals after a 6-0 win over Williams in
a quarterfinal game played in Kenyon Arena. The Panthers will meet
Amherst next weekend at 4:00 p.m. at Colby, while the host school
takes on Trinity at 1:00 p.m. The NESCAC Championship game will be
played at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. Middlebury moves to 17-6-2 overall,
while Williams ends its season at 9-12-4.
Williams had a
great chance just 30 seconds in, but Ryan Young's effort in
transition was denied with a pad save by Ross Cherry. Neither team
scored through a series of penalties, as Middlebury held a 6-2
shots advantage early. The Panthers had a great chance at the
10-minute mark, as Casey Ftorek just missed on a rebound attempt
after a shot from John Sullivan was saved. Just seconds later, a
Ftorek shot was saved, leaving the rebound to Bryan Curran, who
buried the goal.
The Panthers
made it a 2-0 game with 3:40 left as Ken Suchoski and Tom Maldonado
worked a nice give-and-go in transition, with Maldonado finishing
for the shorthanded goal. Williams took a five-minute major penalty
at 17:26 and a minor at 18:15, but Middlebury could not score on
the power plays.
Middlebury made
it a 3-0 game at 6:12 of the second period, as Mason Graddock
tipped in a shot from Leonard Badeau after a feed from Charlie
Townsend. The Panthers struck again at 11:56 as Townsend scored
with a nice move from the slot to give Middlebury a 4-0
lead.
Townsend netted
his second of the game 5:45 into third as he scored from the slot
after a nice centering pass from Jed McDonald. Ian Drummond gave
the Panthers a 6-0 advantage at 12:23 as he converted a feed from
Ftorek on the left side.
Cherry made 14
saves in goal to earn his first shutout of the season and eighth of
his career, while Marc Pulde made 32 stops for the Ephs.
