Mia Feldman ’27 of the women’s soccer team has earned NESCAC Player of the Week after a stellar weekend on the field. She notched five points from two goals and one assist, tying her for fifth in the NESCAC standings.
“It was a team rather than individual effort, but I just got lucky enough to have a good weekend,” Feldman said in an interview with The Campus. “It felt great to score against a nationally ranked team and then score a game-winner in another game.”
In Saturday’s 2–0 win over Trinity, Feldman’s goal in the 15th minute sealed the victory. On Sunday, the forward contributed both a goal and an assist in a thrilling 2–2 draw against fifth-ranked MIT.
For Feldman, success is a team effort.
“We have an amazing dynamic. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without my supportive teammates and coaches,” she said.
That support is mutual. In an interview with The Campus, midfielder and forward Abby Ward ’25 recalled early-season conversations with Feldman about her struggles with confidence, and excitement about her future prospects.
“To see Mia go to the next level, to play like herself that weekend, I was really happy for her,” Ward said. “A sign of being on a really special team is that your teammates’ triumphs are also your triumphs.”
The chemistry Feldman and Ward describe is one of the key reasons behind the team’s promising start to the season. After a challenging year in 2023, when the team failed to qualify for the playoffs, the Panthers seem to have found their rhythm again.
“Last year was a disappointing season,” Ward said. “People are not discouraged, they want it even more. I think that says a lot about our character as a team that one season does not define us.”
Undefeated with a record of 3–0–3, they have already shown significant progress. The team opened the season with a 1–0 victory over Clark, followed by a hard-fought 1–0 win against Hamilton. Their third win came in the form of the 2–0 victory against Trinity, a game that saw Feldman shine.
Despite their strong start, the Panthers know there are still challenges ahead. They earned a well-deserved 2–2 draw against an impressive MIT team and held Amherst to a scoreless 0–0 tie in a defensive battle. Most recently, Middlebury tied Wesleyan 2–2 in what Ward described as their “first disappointing result” in a game that could have gone in their favor.
How the team responds to the Wesleyan setback on Wednesday night against Vermont State University Castleton is crucial. Last season, the Panthers were plagued by a series of ties and struggled to handle difficult outcomes, succumbing to the pressure. This year, they need to prove that they can bounce back and maintain their momentum when faced with tough results.
Despite the challenges, the Panthers remain optimistic about what lies ahead.
“We’re still undefeated, and that’s something to be proud of,” Feldman said.
The Panthers have set their sights on making the playoffs — a goal that eluded them last season — and possibly winning the NESCAC title, which they last claimed in 2021.
“We’re taking it one game at a time,” Ward emphasized. “But it’s always in the back of our minds.”
With a home game against Connecticut College up next on Saturday, the Panthers have an opportunity to continue their strong season and maintain their momentum.
“There’s just a feeling this year that good things are happening,” Feldman said. “I didn’t see that last year, but I see it now. We can do amazing things.”
Ting Cui (she/her) is a Sports Editor.
Ting has previously contributed as a sports writer and spent the past year in Washington, D.C., where she interned at the National Press Club as a policy analyst and politics writer. She also interned as an Editor at Fair Observer this past summer, focusing on stories related to international politics and security.
Ting is majoring in Political Science and minoring in History. She is also competitive figure skater for Team USA and enjoys hiking, thrifting, and consuming copious amounts of coffee.
