Field Hockey Powers into Final Four at 18-0

Author: Tom McCann

The Middlebury women's field hockey team is going to the Final Four of the National Championships in Pennsylvania next weekend. Montclair, and then even the defending champions, could not slow down the momentum of the Panthers as Montclair fell 3-2 on Friday before Rowan were rolled over 5-1 on Saturday.

Middlebury faced Montclair for the right to play in the NCAA quarterfinals on Saturday and came out firing on all cylinders. A goal from defender Becca Brakeley '04 just over 10 minutes into the game set Middlebury on its way before Char Glessner '04 added to her goal tally for the season by putting Middlebury 2-0 up with 13:45 left in the first half. Montclair did not seem to be in the game at the end of the first half, and after seeing the Panthers outshoot them by a differential of 16-1 at the end of the first half, they clearly needed to change something. Montclair is traditionally a second-half team and true to form, they came out blazing in the second half, taking less than seven minutes to peg Middlebury back to 2-1. A period of intense pressure ensued from Montclair but the famed Middlebury defense stood strong against the barrage, with Meg McGillen '07 particularly strong in goal. With the game poised on a knife-edge and Montclair looking for the equalizer, the Panthers netted a crucial third goal. Abigail Lamb '04 was the goal scorer on that occasion, lashing home a penalty corner with 10 minutes to go. Montclair was not done though, and came battling back to score again with just over a minute remaining. Then, with the seconds winding down, Middlebury had to defend a penalty corner to preserve the lead. Missy Krempa '04 was able to get out to the shot and make the block as time ran out. The result marked the end of the season for the visiting Montclair women, while it sent Middlebury through to the next round, against defending champions Rowan the next day.

The Middlebury women knew that Rowan would provide a real test for them, but right from the word go, the Panthers hit top form and there was only ever likely to be one winner. "We just played beautifully. Our passing looked great and we all knew where each other was going to be," commented Brakeley. Middlebury did not take long to assert its dominance on the game, and when Lamb opened the scoring after less than eight minutes, the floodgates were on the brink of opening as the Panthers looked simply imperious. However, Rowan struck back with a goal of its own with 20 minutes to go in the first half, somewhat rocking Middlebury back on its heels. Thankfully, the goal did not knock the women out of their stride as Glessner was rewarded for her persistence in and around the goalmouth. At 2-1, the game was still on, but Middlebury scored an all-important third goal in the dying minutes of the first half with Lamb scoring her second of the day.

Rowan needed to come out of the half-time break and grab an early goal, yet their worst nightmares were realized when Lamb swept home a pass from Krempa to complete a famous hat-trick before some of the fans had even retaken their seats. The visitors tried to mount an offensive effort but the resilient Panther defense was not about to let them through again. With constant exploitation of the wings intermixed with pinpoint through balls, Middlebury always looked likely to score again as Rowan desperately pushed for a goal. The rout was complete when Keely Murphy '04 scored a fifth goal for Middlebury after an assist from Ashley Pullen '05 with 6:42 on the clock. There would be no more scoring in the contest as time wound down, sending Middlebury to the Final Four next weekend.

On the mood within the Middlebury camp, Brakeley commented, "It's just so great because winning is so new to us. We're really pumped about being where we are." If she stops to look, she'll notice that her team is two wins away from a perfect season and national championship. To finish the job though, the Panthers will need to defeat Cortland State on Friday and then either Salisbury or The College of New Jersey on Saturday. Confidence is high through the Middlebury team as Williams actually out shot Cortland State in their previous meeting. The Panthers beat the Ephs twice this year. The games will be on grass though, which will require a quick transition. Middlebury has done it before though, and they will do it again. This Panther team has set a new school record with 18 consecutive victories, has been able to eek out nine wins by one goal, while dismantling other teams home and away, has maintained one of the best defenses in the country and on top of all this, now has the chance to bring home a national championship. They're two wins away from realizing the ultimate dream and no one could deny that should it happen to this team, this year. It would be a fitting end to a fairy-tale season.