Panthers fail to conquer Springfield's Pride

Author: Ryan W. Reese

Brunswick, Maine was the place for four teams to take a stab at moving closer to attaining the ultimate goal of a national title. It was also a place for three teams to see their season end and the place for seniors to see their proud and illustrious college careers come to a close. Unfortunately, Middlebury was on the wrong side of this dichotomy. After a heartbreaking loss to Springfield College that was only able to be decided through penalty strokes, all the Panthers had to face was a long bus ride home.

After absolutely annihilating a Manhattanville team that had no idea how to handle the aggressive and skilled Panther attack earlier in the week, the Panthers won a spot in the NCAA regional hosted by No. 1 seed Bowdoin. As the Panthers traveled toward the north, the Pride was in their sights. The schedule showed that the newest challenger would be a tough Springfield College squad that had an impenetrable goalie, a sturdy defense and an impressive 21-3 record concealed in their bag of tricks.

There was little doubt that the Panthers had met their match, as the Pride wasted no time in making Middlebury play catch up. Less than eight minutes into the match, a perfectly executed set play off of a penalty corner opportunity ended with a cage rattling rip from the circle off the unquestioning stick of Springfield's Jaclyn Galligan. This first cut into the Panthers' seemingly flawless armor was a small sign of the final, unfortunate result.

During the intermission, Middlebury was refreshed, renewed and evidently inspired. Unwilling to let the last 35 minutes of their season slip away, the Panthers evened the score lass than four minutes in to the second stanza. Sophomore Nina Daugherty tacked another goal onto her already impressive season total and it could not have come at a better time. Both sides has breathtaking opportunities to knock home the game winner and all seemed to collapse dramatically before the ball could find its way under the defense vigilant of the netminders. Reid Berrien '08 came the closest as she found herself on a breakaway from midfield. As she attempted to artfully slide the ball through the sprawling pads of Springfield goalie, Emma Kaplan, Berrien found only pad as Kaplan sprawled into a kick save and dramatically steered the sparkling attempt out of harm's way.

Throughout two extra periods, nothing was resolved. The Panthers and Pride were faced with a scoreless dilemma. Neither team was willing to give in and as these two determined squads stared each other down, no one flinched as the decisive penalty strokes loomed ominously ahead. With nothing left in the tank and after everything was left on the field, the Panthers were spent. The luck had finally run out on this Panther season as the first three Middlebury attempts were turned aside. It was the Pride's day in the sun as their shooters' luck sat on the opposite side of the spectrum. Three shots, three goals. End of game.

There it ended - unceremoniously and unwanted. As all title runs go, the winning team runs and dogpiles in celebration and the other is left alone to think. There was no lack of effort or a lack of desire, only a lack of luck last Saturday.

The Panthers ended their season with a stunning 14-4 record and five players earning all NESCAC honors. There is no doubt that this was a great Panther team and they will be remembered as such.