The Middlebury women’s hockey team clinched the host site for the NESCAC championship for the fth time in six years and the ninth time overall. The Panthers (18-4-3), seeded rst in the tournament, defeated eighth-seeded Colby 4-3 on Saturday, Feb. 27 in a quarter nal game in Chip Kenyon ’85 Arena for their seventh-straight victory. Forward Maddie Winslow ’18 garnered NESCAC Player of the Year honors, the sixth Middlebury player to earn that honor.
In the semifinals, Middlebury will host fifth-seeded Trinity at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 5, while second-seeded Amherst will match-up against third-seeded Connecticut College at 4 p.m. The winner of each game will advance to the conference championship game at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 6.
In the quarter final matchup against Colby, the Panthers scored the first goal eight minutes into the first period. Seizing the puck from the right boards, Jessica Young ’18 passed it to Elizabeth Wulf ’18, who centered the puck so that Winslow could one-time it into Colby’s net. Middlebury was aggressive for the rest of the period, finishing with a 13-2 advantage in shots on goal, but Colby goalie Angelica Crites kept it a one-goal game.
The Mules came bursting out of the starting gate for the second period, recording four of the first five shots, but scored no goals to show for it. Four minutes into the period, Middlebury extended its lead to 2-0 when Grace Jennings ’19, positioned at the left point, sent the puck floating high past several defenders into the net for her third goal of the season.
Colby responded with several scoring attempts in the waning minutes of the second. Middlebury netminder Julia Neuburger ’18 sustained an aggressive bout of attempts by the Colby offense. The Mules did not back down, and at 17:33 managed some crisp passes from the right before Bella Papapetros, open from the far left side, one-timed the puck into an open goal before Neuburger could turn her back. An answer came 44 seconds later when Rachael St. Clair ’19 sped past defenders on the left and slid the puck behind Colby’s goalie in a dramatic goal that gave Middlebury a two-point lead.
Seconds into the third period, Maddie Winslow, who has emerged as a fierce point-maker for the Panther offense, picked up a loose puck, skated halfway down the rink, and slotted the puck in the upper corner. The goal, her team-leading 15th of the season, brought the score to a comfortable 4-1.
At the 15:44 mark of the third period, Papapetros made a diving centering pass to Delaney Flynn who scored, toying with the nerves of Head Coach Bill Mandigo and the rest of the team, whose trophy hopes last year were nearly dashed by Hamilton in the same quarter final matchup in a three-overtime game.
Colby then pulled Crites with 1:45 left in regulation and were awarded a power play with 52 seconds on the clock for a six-on-four advantage. With a two-man advantage, Colby slipped the puck between Neuburger’s feet at the right post to make it a one-goal game. Middlebury waited the next forty seconds out to keep the score at 4-3 and secure home ice for the rest of the playoffs. In the game, the Panthers nearly doubled the Mules 38-20 in shots on goal.
Colby went 1-for-2 on the power play, while Middlebury went 0-for-1.
“The game on Saturday took a team e ort to win,” Shanna Hickman ’19 said. “Julie Neuburger played amazing and made some big saves, while everyone else focused on doing the little things from back checking to winning battles. We did a great job moving the puck and creating and nishing scoring opportunities.”
The victory brings the Panthers’ in-conference unbeaten streak to 30 games. The Panthers hope to avenge last year’s fumble in the nals at the hands of third-seeded Trinity. The team still managed a berth in the NCAA tournament last winter, but their run ended in the quarter nals with a loss to Norwich.
“It feels great to once again be part of the NESCAC championships,” Wulf said. “We are excited to have home ice throughout the playoffs, but we know that anything can happen.”
The Panthers are certainly the favorite entering NESCAC championship, but fate might undo near-certainties again.
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