Women’s Lacrosse on Fire, Continues 11-0 Streak

The Panther women’s lacrosse team moved to an 11-game win streak, picking up two conference wins this past weekend against Trinity and Hamilton, scoring double digits against two impressive teams. Moving forward, the Panthers are on a blazing trail, hoping to close out the season against Tufts and Williams.

Against Trinity, the No. 3 Panthers cruised into a 7-0 record versus nationally-ranked opponents, beating the No. 12 Bantams 14-8. While the score was tight for most of the game, a spur of Middlebury scoring brought the Panthers the victory.

Senior captain Emma McDonagh ’19 started off the scoring events with a 2-for-2 bout against Trinity’s Mary French. After the teams netted the game at 2-2, McDonagh connected with the back of the net for another goal, heating up the Panther offense. Trinity soon gained momentum back, which created a small 2-3 goal gap between the teams.

The second half, however, proved the Panthers’ resilience. Emily Barnard, Jenna McNicholas and Kirsten Murphy led the Panthers to an 11-6 score, which was then furthered by additional goals on the part of McNicholas. While the Bantams tried to push back, the stellar Middlebury defense held on for a 14-8 win.

The next day, the Panthers also beat No. 24 Hamilton, with a 13-9 final score. Middlebury created an impressive gap in the beginning of the game, setting off the score to 7-2 before the half. The Continentals never caught up to the Panther offense, always in a point deficit that could not be erased.

Jane Earley had an impressive game, putting up seven points (three goals, four assists), while McDonagh also continued her scoring streak to 40 games. Erin Nicholas won the draw eight times, setting up Panther control.

Looking forward, ending the regular season on two conference wins is key for the team’s post-season. With the potential of this year’s squad, Middlebury is looking to work towards ending the regular season well, as a testament to their hard work and strengths.

“We are looking forward to a challenge in the last two games of the regular season. One of the main things we are working on is decreasing the number of turnovers,” senior Sara DiCenso said. “One of our strengths is that we have many people who can score and contribute to our offense. On the other side of the field, our backer defense is high pressure and we have done a good job of winning the ball back.”

If the Panthers can decrease turnovers, keep up the defensive pressure and continually connect with the back of the net, their post-season will be an extension of the regular season’s success.