Middlebury Field Hockey, now an impressive 4–1 in the Nescac and 7–2 overall, swept Colby with a 6–1 win this past Saturday, Sept. 30. The Panthers, ranked seventh nationally, got on the board three times in both halves, only allowing one goal against 57 minutes into the game, on a penalty stroke.
The Panthers also defeated RPI 3–0 on Tuesday, Oct. 3, in a nonconference matchup.
Middlebury got on the board in the opening minutes and the team’s first two goals were scored in quick succession, just ten seconds apart.
The first was a rebound that came off of the stick of Audrey Quirk ’18, while the second goal followed when Marissa Baker ’20 redirected a cross-pitch pass from Grace Jennings ’19. Middlebury came out strong and controlled the match from wire-to-wire.
The Panthers added another goal to go up 3–0 before halftime when senior captain Annie Leonard ’18 tallied her 62nd career goal as she lifted the ball up past Colby goalie Riley Whitmyer.
After the horn sounded and the second half got underway, the Panthers opened up a three goal in 10 minute barrage that all but sent the Mules packing.
Erin Nicholas ’21 recorded two, the first and third of the onslaught, while Lauren Schweppe ’18 tallied Midd’s fifth with a blasted shot from the Mules’ penalty corner.
Middlebury edged Colby 20–14 in shots, yet not even the box score does the Panthers’ domination of Colby justice.
Against RPI, the Panthers won the game in a stretch of 14:15 when it scored all three of its goals in a 3–0 win.
Schweppe started the scoring off with her third goal of the season 10:32 into the game. Just 35 seconds later, Danielle Brown ’21 finished off Jennings’ cross for a 2–0 lead. This was Jennings’ team-leading sixth assist of the season.
Jennings also added her third goal of the season to give Middlebury 3–0 lead it would never relinquish.
The team will be back in action for Nescac play this weekend, as they hit the road to take on no. 4 Tufts and Wesleyan.
Field Hockey Coasts vs. Colby
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