WILLIAMSTOWN, MA -- Three unanswered
goals in the final 5 minutes of the game insured Middlebury's 5-1
victory this evening. The Panthers were eventually able to
capitalize on nine Williams penalties, despite another strong
performance from Williams netminder Chloe
Billadeau.
The first period opened with much back-and-forth play, as
indicated by Middlebury's slight shot advantage of eight to the
home team's five. At the 17:44 mark, it looked like the
Panthers would take an early lead as they peppered first year
goalie, Chloe Billadeau (Chaska, MN), with shots. Billadeau
prevented an early hole for Williams, however, and turned away
everything that came her way.
Middlebury would get more offensive looks midway through
the frame, due to an Eph penalty coming at the 13:27 mark.
The Panthers began to find an offensive rhythm during the powerplay
situation, as they worked the puck around the perimeter and sent an
onslaught of shots towards the home team's goal. Once again,
a resilient Billadeau kept the Panther offense at bay through the
duration of the powerplay, leaving the score bolted at
0.
Following the powerplay, play returned to back-and-forth
action until a second Williams penalty with 3:33 remaining in the
period allowed Middlebury another string of offensive looks in the
final minutes of the frame. A strong penalty-kill unit not
only fended off opposing offensive chances, but managed to find an
offensive groove themselves. Eph forward Aimee Dennett
(Highlands Ranch, CO) slipped past the Panthers defensive unit for
a one-on-one with Middlebury goalie Annabelle Jones (Homer,
NY). While Dennett didn't find the back of the net, the Ephs
continued to pressure Middlebury in the closing minutes of the
period.
Williams would again be plagued with penalties throughout
the middle frame, starting at the 16:41 mark. Another penalty
coming 1:20 later would give Middlebury a 39 second 6-on-4
advantage. Despite getting out of the two-man disadvantage,
the Ephs could not hold on.
Continuous penetration from the Panthers eventually
resulted in their first goal of the game. The powerplay tally
came 5:32 into the period. Sara Ugalde (Burlington, CT) sent
the puck across the ice to a waiting Maggie Woodward (Dover, NH)
who ripped a close range shot over the right shoulder of Billadeau,
earning her team a 1-0 lead. Lauren Greer (New Hampton, NH)
also contributed on the play.
Seconds later, Emily Fluke (Sandwich, MA) nearly upped
Middlebury's lead to two, following a breakaway. Although she
didn't put the Panthers on the scoreboard, her offensive
opportunity along with Fluke's tally would set the tone for the
remaining 14:28. Middlebury dominated the ice, recording 17
second period shots to Williams' 6.
Set up by Maria Bourdeau (West Hartford, CT), Madison
Styrbicki fired a slapshot from just in front of the blue line to
register Middlebury's second goal of the afternoon.
Just 46 seconds into the game's final frame, Dennett made
it a one-goal game. Kristen Tubbs
(Garden City, NY) controlled the puck off a face-off in the Ephs'
offensive zone, then carried the puck behind the goal line. Tubbs
slid a pass to Dennett, who was streaking into the slot and fired a
shot past Jones to decrease the Panthers' lead to 2-1.
Middlebury's accrued 3 quick penalties to give the Eph
powerplay unit their first opportunities of the evening. Williams
forwards were able to pepper Jones and the Panther defense with
several close-range shots. On a 5-on-3 with just under 15 minutes
remaining in the period, the Ephs' Cristina Bravi
(Montreal, QC) tested Jones with some solid opportunities, but the
Panther netminder was able to turn away all of the Ephs' attempts,
and Middlebury was able to cling to their narrow margin
A trio of Panther goals late in the third would cement
Middlebury's lead and give the Panthers some room to breathe. With
4:53 left to play, Maggie Melberg (Woody Creek, CO) forced a
turnover in Williams' defensive zone, then skated the puck in close
and fired a shot that eluded Billadeau to give Middlebury a 3-1
lead.
Middlebury's Greer drew the puck off the faceoff to Katie
Sullivan (Bethesda, MD), who skated up ice with Greer for a 2-on-0
with Billadeau. Sullivan broke away from a Williams defender and
hit the mesh to put the Panthers up 4-1 just 6 seconds after
Melberg's goal.
With two Ephs in the penalty box, Middlebury collected
their 5th goal of the evening with 3:35 to play. Ugalde picked up a
rebound in the slot and put home the loose puck, finalizing the
score at 5-1.
"I think we continued to battle hard and compete,"
Williams Head Coach Meghan Gillis commented after the game.
"Obviously with Midd's really aggressive forecheck we were just
trying to make sure we were moving the puck cleanly out of the zone
and not right into their stick."
Billadeau turned away 29 shots between the pipes for the
Ephs. "Chloe had another great game for us tonight, and really kept
us in it," Gillis remarked of her freshman goaltender. Middlebury's
Jones managed to deny Williams 18 times. Play moves up to
Middlebury tomorrow, as the Ephs travel north for a 4 pm rematch
with the Panthers.
