Field Hockey Team Finishes Perfect Regular Season in Style

Author: Tom McCann

Perfect. No word can better describe the regular season from the Middlebury women's field hockey team. At the start of the season, the Panthers wanted to take it each game at a time and try to improve on the away form that hindered them last year. Well, 14 regular season games later, the field hockey team has not only taken each game as it's come, it's won each and every one too, concluding with a festival of goals in two recent games against Rensselaer (RPI) and Connecticut College at Middlebury.

In a rare non-league game, the Panthers took on Rensselaer last Wednesday and ruthlessly demonstrated the gulf between the two teams in the first three minutes. Abigail Lamb '04 scored her first from an assist by Char Glessner '04 only to double her tally two minutes later and give Middlebury a 2-0 lead after less than five minutes. The Panthers would go on to take a 4-0 lead into the halftime break after goals from Glessner and Missy Krempa '04. The second half was no different as Lamb took her tally to four goals for the game, while Ashley Lyddane '06 also got on the score sheet before Glessner netted her second and Middlebury's eighth. Illustrating the togetherness that characterizes this team, five assists were recorded on the day. Glessner had two, while Channing Weymouth '06, Becca Brakeley '03.5 and Ashley Pullen '05 were also responsible for setting up goals for their teammates.

Saturday pitched Middlebury against Connecticut College in what the Panthers had expected to be a much closer battle than against Rensselaer. RPI's superstar, Huffman, was the player that Middlebury needed to keep an eye on, but Brakeley noted that a fine defensive performance by Krempa meant that she never really had a look in. Middlebury jumped out early in this one with Glessner scoring again, this time from an assist by Lamb. From that point on, Middlebury never looked back, going on to score eight more goals in the contest, conceding nothing, and looking utterly imperious. Glessner would go on to complete her hat-trick, as would Emily Enos '06. Lamb chipped in with two goals in the game, and there was even a rare goal for defender Brakeley. Lamb did not just get it done with goals either. She set a school record with three assists in the game. Weymouth, Krempa and Glessner also assisted goals on the day.

With 17 goals for, 11 assists, and no goals against in its last two games, the Middlebury field hockey team is looking about as good as it possibly can as we move into the opening phase of the post-season. The Panthers will take on Amherst in their first post-season game at home on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The winner will then move on to play either Williams or Bowdoin on Sunday depending on who comes through that duel, also on Saturday. The match-up with Amherst looks to be a tough one for Middlebury as the Panthers were able to just about sneak away with the win earlier in the season after a slow start. Brakeley noted, "We have a point to prove against Amherst, who have only played one game on turf all season." Whether or not Middlebury has the talent to overcome Amherst is not in question, but the post-season can throw up surprises at any time as just one bad day can spell the end of the season at this stage. As if Middlebury needed any extra incentive to win on Saturday, it is more than likely that should it win. The team would earn an "at-large" bid to the NCAA tournament regardless of the result of the NESCAC final on Sunday. However, as currently regarded as the best team in the country, Middlebury will want to continue its hot steak which will likely culminate in the hosting of the NCAA Regional Tournament at home should they clinch the NESCAC Championship. The women have been perfect so far this season, but this is when it starts getting serious. They are two wins away from the NESCAC Championship, and just a few more from a National Championship. It's still one step at a time though, and maybe, just maybe, this will be the year.