Women's Lax Doubles Up Jeffs in Title Rematch

Author: Kate Nerenberg

With three wins this past week, the Middlebury women's lacrosse team improved to 7-0 and remains the top ranked Division III team in the nation. To start off their run, the Panthers handed Union College its first loss of the season with a 13-4 victory at home. In a huge weekend, Middlebury picked up two NESCAC victories: an 8-4 win over Amherst College and a 12-5 domination of Tufts University at home the next day.

Behind the leadership of senior Julia Bergofsky and junior Katie Simpson, who scored two goals apiece in the first half, Middlebury took control in the first half, going into the break with an 8-2 lead. The Panthers held strong in the second half, in which Simpson picked up her third goal and Char Glessner '03 her second. Beth Seeley '05 was able to find the back of the net twice, while Kristen Hanley '03 registered one goal and three assists. In goal, Sarah Grenert '04 and Johanna Rosenfield '05 combined for 13 saves.

On Saturday, the Panthers made a trip to Amherst to take on the team they beat by one goal in overtime in last year's national championship. The Panthers were looking to prove they belonged on top, while the Lord Jeffs were looking to prove they could beat the best. Once again, Middlebury was able to hand another team its first loss of the season.

Through the first half the outcome of the game was largely in question, with Middlebury taking a only a narrow 4-3 lead at halftime. Four and a half minutes into the second half, Lord Jeff Allison Aldrich scored her second goal of the game to cut the Panthers' lead to 5-4. Undaunted, Middlebury took control, scoring the next three goals to seal the win. Over the next 11 minutes, Bergofsky, Hanley and Glessner put the Panthers up, 8-4. Meanwhile, in goal, Grenert held off the numerous waves of Amherst attackers, including two point-blank shots in the last three minutes.

Head Coach Missy Foote was impressed with the play in the cage: "Goalie Sarah Grenert had an amazing game, with a 96 percent save average." Foote also praised the play of Glessner, who ended the game with three goals, while Bergofsky and Nuala O'Donohoe '04 scored two apiece.

Foote attributed the win to her midfielders: "Both teams were tense in the beginning but our settled offense and our zone defense worked very well. The thing that made the difference was our midfield pressure however. We caused numerous turnovers and capitalized on Amherst's mistakes."

With the hard earned win on Saturday, the Panthers continued strongly the next day to crush Tufts at home. "We did just what we needed to do on Sunday. We readjusted to the turf, played aggressively and stayed strong despite having a hard game the prior day," commented Foote.

Bergofsky and Glessner combined for five of the team's first six goals as Middlebury ran to an 8-2 halftime lead. In the first 7:30 of the second half, Tufts brought themselves to within four after goals with the play of Willow Hagge and Maureen Mahon. In the next 11 minutes, the Panthers responded with four goals, including two by Meg Bonney '03, to put any thoughts of a Jumbo comeback to rest. Before the half was over, Tufts was able to slip one more goal past the Panthers, to reach a final score of 12-5. Grenert and Rosenfield combined for four saves.

Although Middlebury confidently overcame some big opponents this past week, they still have their work cut out for them. This Saturday, they take on Bowdoin, currently ranked second in the latest NESCAC poll. And, as always, as Foote says, "we are looking to improve with every practice."