Red hot field hockey ready for postseason Five game win streak includes wins over Ursinus, Williams and Amherst

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When the Middlebury College women's field hockey team ran into a rough stretch earlier in the year, the team did not panic. Instead, the team rode the ups and downs of the season, as all great teams do, and has bounced back strong since a stinging double-overtime loss to Bowdoin on Oct. 2. The loss ended an 18-game winning streak in regular season NESCAC games and was the team's second loss of the year. A lesser team may have folded as a result of these setbacks but these Panthers have not backed down. The Panthers have gone on an absolute rampage since the loss, stringing together five consecutive wins. These were not wins over slouch teams either.

The current streak includes an overtime win over rival Williams, knocking off the number one team in the nation (Ursinus) and a comprehensive 8-1 thrashing of conference foe Bates. The Panthers are back on track and just in time. This upcoming weekend brings about the first round of the NESCAC tournament.

The huge wins against Williams and Ursinus came over the course of a weekend that was dominated by Middlebury's own Channing Weymouth '06. The senior from Plymouth, N.H., came up big for the Panthers as she scored once against the Ephs before assisting on the game-winner in a 3-2 overtime thriller.

The game against number one Ursinus the following day, Weymouth found the back of the net in a scramble in front of the goal. This gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead after an Allison Smith '06 redirection goal would prove to be the game winner as Ursinus could only muster up one score.

Weymouth helped the Panthers find their groove and that swagger that had been missing after the heartbreaking loss to Bowdoin.

This five-game winning streak also knocked off conference foes Amherst and Bates. Nina Daugherty and Reid Berrien, both '08, were lights out for Middlebury as they both found cage in dramatic fashion against the Lord Jeffs.

Berrien's eventual game winner was a bullet from the top of the circle that skidded across the ground before finding the back of the cage by way of the far post. The Panthers went on to win 2-1 and readied themselves for the Bearcats from the north.

Berrien continued her streak of greatness during Middlebury's game against conference foe Bates. The sophomore dominated the offensive end and walked off the field with three goals to her name. Weymouth knocked in a deuce while Emily Enos '06, Marnie Rowe '08 and Smith added one apiece.

The team's overpowering will to win continued this past weekend in a 4-0 win over Keene State. There was never any question in this game as Daugherty sparked the offense with two strikes before Smith and Berrien added a goal each for good measure.

The upcoming weekend has the Panthers traveling down to Connecticut in order to take on the Trinity Bantams. This is the last conference game of the season and the NESCAC tourney will begin on Sunday. The results from around the league on Saturday will determine which team will head to Peter Kohn's field to face Middlebury in the first round game on Sunday, Oct. 30.

Sources from inside the league have speculated that it will probably be either Amherst or Bates, both of which have fallen victim to the Panther attack this year.

With a long playoff run on the horizon, the squad is looking tough and looking ready. They are peaking at just the right time and are playing as a unit with great passing and team chemistry in front of the net. The NESCAC title looms large, but it is definitely within reach.