Last Saturday, Middlebury women’s lacrosse opened their season on a high note, defeating #21 Amherst College 15–6. The 2024 season was particularly notable for the Panthers, who secured their third consecutive NESCAC title and remained undefeated for the second straight year. With a strong start to 2025, the Panthers are undoubtedly poised to continue their tradition of success.
Saturday’s victory against the Mammoths marked Middlebury’s 52nd-straight win, but also brought individual accolades for several players. Skylar Lach ’26 achieved a career record of 5 goals, goalie Gina Driscoll ’25 tied her previous record with 12 saves in net, and three assists by Maggie Coughlin ’25 moved her into sixth place among the program’s history, with a total of 74 career assists.
Amherst secured possession off the first draw, but the Panthers dug in to start the game with endurance and intensity. The Mammoths took the first shot of the game, but proved to be no match for Driscoll, who stopped the ball with her unbeatable reaction time.
Minutes later, Kate Motley ’27 caused a turnover at the midfield, grabbed the ground ball, and took off down the field. Motley dodged her defender and sniped a shot into the upper-left corner, scoring both her first career goal and the first goal of the 2025 season. As players and fans celebrated, Motley’s early goal set the tone for the game, signaling that the Panthers were ready to pick up where they left off last season.
Soon after, Coughlin fed Lach for a quick-stick shot in front of the crease, putting the Panthers up 2–0 early on in the first quarter. Lach struck again at the five-minute mark, followed by a goal from Caroline Messer ’26 with only minutes left in the quarter. Well-positioned with a 4–0 lead heading into the second quarter, there was no doubt that the Panthers had full control over the game.
“The tricky thing about the first game of the season is that every year the composition and strategies of a team shift, so it can be difficult to properly scout a team. We took the game yesterday as an opportunity to focus on our team, our play, and implement everything we have worked on for the last month of preseason,” Caroline Adams ’26 said. “We were able to set the tone for what we wanted Middlebury Women’s Lacrosse to be and played with grit, joy and love for each other.”
The Panthers took the first possession of the second quarter, with Lucy Bishop ’27 winning the draw. A foul against Middlebury gave Hope Shue ’25 a free-position shot, which she buried for her first goal of the season. As the 2024 NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year, Shue’s goal reaffirmed her status as a key offensive threat. Minutes later, Shue assisted Motley for another goal, putting the Panthers at a 6–0 advantage.
At this point, the pressure was on for Amherst to make their mark on the scoreboard, but draw-expert Adams was not going to let that happen just yet. Adams secured the Panther’s next possession, keeping the momentum in Middlebury’s sticks. Despite her strong individual performance, the junior midfielder credits the team’s strong foundation and support system.
“We often remind each other that we ‘stand on the shoulders of those who came before us’ and that we get to play every day because of the amazing women who came before us,” Adams said. “Every year, our coaches connect each one of us with an Alumni sister, a former player who will provide support throughout the season. These connections remind us of the power and love of the Middlebury Women’s Lacrosse family and inspire us to work hard every day.”
After an intense back-and-forth, Amherst finally secured their first goal halfway through the second quarter, but they still had a long way to go. Before halftime, Adams capitalized on an eight meter shot, scoring her first goal of the season. In the plays that followed, Amherst received two yellow cards, giving Middlebury a man-up advantage and helping Maddie Ackerman ’27 score her first goal of the year with an assist from Lach.
The Panthers continued their dominance in the second half. Just 36 seconds into the third quarter, Siobhan Colin ’28 fed Lach an assist for her third goal, completing a hatrick.
This year, the Panthers welcomed nine new first years to the team. Colin, one of new additions, has already made an impact in her first game.
“I’m really excited about the team dynamic this year. We have 14 seniors that all individually contribute so much for the team. I’ve felt really lucky to be able to rely on and witness their special leadership on and off the field. We also have an awesome freshman squad that brings so much energy and grit to the locker room and practices. The team is really deep this year, so I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish this season,” Lach said.
Despite Middlebury’s momentum, the Mammoths managed to knock out four-straight goals, narrowing the deficit to 9–5. With a mere seven seconds left in the third quarter, Shue scored off of an assist from Anna Spehr ’25, pushing the game into double-digits at 10–5 heading into the final frame.
Amherst opened the fourth and final quarter with a goal. However, in true Panther fashion, Middlebury quickly reacted, with Couglin scoring her first goal of the season and Lach her fourth. Middlebury now led 12–6 against Amherst, with about 10 minutes remaining.
Recognizing the urgency, the Mammoths called for a time out, hoping to slow the relentless Panthers. Following the timeout, Shue snagged the ball off of the draw which resulted in Adams scoring her second goal of the game. The final moment saw Couglin assist Shue’s third goal, extending Middlebury’s lead.
Amherst attempted more shots, but they stood no chance against Driscoll’s stellar goalkeeping. The final goal of the game, made possible by another assist from Adams, was secured by sharp-shooter Lach, in her fifth goal, placing the Panthers up by nine goals in the final score (15–6).
Despite Saturday’s win, the team remains humble, remembering that their past successes raise the level of competition they’ll face moving forward.
“Coming off of last season, I think we’ll have a target on our back each game we play. I think something we try to emphasize is that it’s a privilege to get everyone’s 100% and to not take anything for granted or dwell on any past successes,” Lach said. “We take each game one at a time and prioritize our own goals and expectations to give our all and play our best for each other.”
After a quick turnaround, the Panthers second game was held on Tuesday, where they defeated #14 Babson 17-6. Standout performances from Tuesday’s game include four goals for Shue and three for Lach.
This Saturday, the Panthers head to Brunswick, Maine to face the Bowdoin Polar Bears in their third game of the season.
Brooke Friberg '26 (she/her) is a Sports Editor.
Brooke is majoring in political science and Spanish, and recently studied abroad in Madrid. During J-Term, Brooke interned for the First Circuit Court of Appeals. She loves cooking, true crime podcasts, skiing, national parks, and her dog and cat (Gridley and Rory).
