Women's lax dominates 16-11 Wesleyan win

Author: Sarah Poling Leuhrman

Last Saturday, April 9, the Panthers carved yet another notch in the Division III Women's Lacrosse totem with a 16-11 victory over Wesleyan, who gave them a tougher game than last year. The Cardinals walked onto the field 6-2 for the season but 0-3 against the Panthers since their first meeting in 2001. Though perhaps closer than it should have been, this game proved no different.

"Wesleyan was a tough game for us," commented captain Caitlin McCormick '05. "We didn't play as well as we should have."

Natalie Shettle '07 opened the game with a goal before three minutes were up, followed by another from Channing Weymouth '06 only seconds later. The advantage remained with the Panthers until 10 minutes into the half, when the Cardinals began a three goal run to tie the score 4-4. Allison Perencevich scored for Middlebury, followed by another Wesleyan goal, maintaining the tenuous tie. Middlebury spectators and players alike breathed a sigh of relief when finally, with six minutes left in the half, Liza Humes '07 scored two goals within less than a minute of one another, ending the half with Middlebury in the lead, 7-5.

Elizabeth Renehan '06 and Allison Perencevich '06 opened the second half with a goal each to lengthen the Middlebury lead to four points, pressuring the Wesleyan offense to wake up and get back in the game. They wasted no time in doing so, kicking off a three goal run mere seconds after the second draw. From that point on, the Panthers kept the game under control, allowing only an occasional goal from Wesleyan. In addition to an early goal in the first half, Kim Walker '07 scored three more times before the end of the game to safeguard the Panthers' lead. Beth Seeley '05, Walker and Renehan sealed the win with three successive goals in the last three minutes of the game.

Defense flailed slightly throughout the game and allowed Wesleyan 12 shots on goal, three of which captain and goalkeeper Johanna Rosenfield '05 was able to save. The team as a whole seemed to have trouble responding to the pressure that Wesleyan put on them and thus played a less tight and organized game. "It gives us a lot of food for thought in terms of what we need to do better," says McCormick. "Which is a good thing."

The team was able to digest the Wesleyan game well and rally for a decisive 19-5 victory over Tufts on Tuesday, April 12. The offensive line flexed its muscles and dug in from the beginning of the game, beginning a nine goal run only a few minutes in. Seven different players scored on the Jumbos throughout the course of the game, and Rosenfield made four saves in goal. The win was the Panthers' fifth in the conference.

This Saturday, the Panthers are headed to Freeport, Maine to face Bowdoin, whom they last saw at last year's NESCAC semifinals. The Polar Bears made the Panthers fight for a 9-7 win last year, and this year's team is looking as strong, having fallen only to Trinity this season. Middlebruy should make short work of Skidmore the following Wednesday in preparation for next Saturday's game against Amherst, historically the toughest competition NESCAC can offer for Middlebury. Last year, the Jeffs suffered their only two losses at the hands of the Panthers. This year, the Jeffs stand undefeated once again, but not a single player on the Amherst team is old enough to remember the last time they beat Middlebury.