Panthers Sprint Past Mules for 36th Straight Win

Author: Kate Nerenberg

The Middlebury women's lacrosse team won its 36th straight game on Saturday, defeating New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) foe Colby, 17-7. The team began its run at a third straight NCAA Championship crown with a strong first half that proved why the team was ranked number one nationally in preseason polls.
The Panthers did not waste any time getting the ball up the field, as they netted two goals in the first four minutes. Unstoppable, the team rode the momentum of Char Glessner's '04.5 three goals in the next 12 minutes, tallying seven total in that time span. Kate Simpson '03 registered two of her three goals during this run.
Before the end of the half, the White Mules managed to squeak by the young Middlebury defense just twice, but they were still facing a 10-goal deficit by halftime, down 12-2.
The Panthers started the second half much the way they started the first, firing away right from the start. Quickly, they built the lead to 14-2, with contributions from Meg Bonney '03 and Nuala O'Donahue '04. By the midway point of the second half, Colby had once again notched two goals to cut the lead to 14-4.
Their efforts, however, were not nearly strong enough to stave off the superior Panthers. Before time expired, Middlebury found the net three more times, extending its lead to 17-5. Colby made one last push and scored another couple of goals to end the game at 17-7. Goalkeeper Sarah Grenert '04 made 13 saves on the afternoon.
While the win is both a positive sign and an extension of the team's remarkable winning streak, players must be careful of not getting ahead of themselves. Said Kathryn Perine '03, "I think it's impossible to ignore the prospect of going to the national championship, but in reality we know that we have a lot of work to do before we can think more seriously about that."
The Panthers' next NESCAC opponents will come in the form of the Connecticut College Camels, the team's first road game this season on March 22. The following day, Middlebury will travel to Wesleyan for another NESCAC test before taking off to Florida where it will face Eastern Connecticut State in the midst of training.
Although the Panthers try not to look too far ahead, a game with NESCAC and national rival Amherst is looming in the distance. Luckily, the Panthers will have a home-field advantage when they face the Lord Jeffs on April 5.
For now, however, the team is going to focus on keeping their winning streak alive day by day.