BOX SCORE
MIDDLEBURY,VT-Williams (9-6,4-5 NESCAC)
lost 11-10 to NESCAC opponent Middlebury (8-6, 5-4 NESCAC).
Today's closely fought match was the fourteenth time in a row
that the Ephs have lost to the Panthers. The loss places Williams
in seventh place in the NESCAC and Middlebury in sixth. Both teams
will play the first round of the NESCAC tournament on the road on
Sunday.
Williams started out the game on the right foot, scoring
three of the first four goals of the game. Sophomore Margie Fulton
score two off of passes from senior Whitney Kelly and sophomore
Katie Ellis. Freshman Sam Weinstein put her first goal of the game
behind Middlebury goalkeeper Lily Nguyen. Head Coach Chris Mason
observed that the Ephs “were handling the ball well in the
beginning, but then we had a number of unforced errors and lost
chances.”
The game continued at a back-and-forth rate with the two
teams trading goals for the remainder of the first half, included
one goal by senior Co-Captain Quinn Bruggemann. The free-position
goal was Brugemann's first goal of the season and her third
of her career. Weinstein and sophomore Taylor Fleishhacker also
contributed. Williams finished the half up 6-4.
Fulton once again opened the scoring for the Ephs,
notching her third and final goal of the game. Middlebury then went
on a scoring spree, putting away four unanswered goals in four
minutes. Weinstein responded with a goal off of a free-position
shot, and tying the game, but the Panthers scored two more to
reclaim the lead. Freshman Nicolle Perry, with help from Ellis,
scored her second goal of the season, closing the Middlebury lead
to one goal. Mason said that “Middlebury played better in the
second half, and did a good job shutting down our chances.”
With 7:42 remaining, Panther Elizabeth Gerry slipped one behind
Williams goalie Julia Schreiber, to solidify the lead. Weinstein
was able to make the game a one-goal game with 3:03 left in the
game. Middlebury won the final draw of the game, but lost soon
after. The Ephs attempted to tie the game, but ended up sending a
shot wide. The Panthers regained control of the ball with 1:10 left
to play, and successfully killed the remaining time to win the
game.
Mason concluded that “Although we'd get our
chances, they did a good job defending us and stalling at the end.
We need to be better on the loose balls, and on our draw
controls.”
Williams will travel to No. 2 Bowdoin for the first round
of NESCAC playoffs this Sunday at 12pm.
