Conn. College Leveled by Panther Onslaught

Author: David Lindholm
Sports Editor

Connecticut College was the latest team to be steamrolled by the Middlebury College women's hockey team, as the Camels came to play two in Kenyon Arena over the weekend. The Panthers dominated completely, out shooting the Camels 91-11 over the course of both games. With the wins, the Panthers remain undefeated on the season (9-0-0), and also extend their league unbeaten streak to 120 games (119-0-1), their Division III unbeaten streak to 133 games (132-0-1) and their home winning streak to 85 games.

The two league wins were especially important, as contenders Bowdoin and Colby both picked up two wins of their own, each team defeating Wesleyan and Trinity as they kept stride with Middlebury. The national rankings see Middlebury unanimously in first, Bowdoin second and Colby eighth.

In league play, the Panthers sit with an 8-0-0 record, in second place behind Colby, at 9-1-0. Bowdoin lie in third at 7-1-0. The only loss for both the Mules and the Polar Bears has come at the hands of Middlebury.

Connecticut College has perennially been a weaker team in the New England Small College Athletic Conference, and the Panthers went into the game knowing they were fully expected to win. Middlebury earned the early goal they needed just 2:36 in, when Erin Neil '03 found the rebound from an Amber Neil '03 shot and calmly slotted the puck over the Camel goalie's right shoulder.

The Panthers, despite out shooting the Camels 16-0 in the period, were having trouble finding the net. Goaltender Anna Trafton was repeatedly denying the Panther onslaughts, until the Panther offense made a breakthrough toward the end of the first. First-year Lorna Gifis' wrist shot pushed the Camels down going into the locker rooms, scoring with just nine seconds to play in the period.

Middlebury thought their breakthrough had come, but were only able to score once more in each of the remaining periods, finishing with the 4-0 win. In the second, Erin Neil scored her second of the game, and Laurie Richmond '02 got her fourth goal of the season to cap the scoring. Trafton had been strong in net, but it was still not the best performance for the Panthers, unable to score more despite out shooting the opponent 53-4. Megan Huchinson '02 needed only four saves for her third shutout of the season.

The next day, the Panthers again scored at 2:36 of the first period, but this time it was their second goal. Molly Turco '04 scored 33 seconds in, and Meghan Stone '05 got her goal two minutes later. Turco ended up with two goals on the day, but was outshined by junior Angela Kapus, who scored once in the second period and twice in the third for her hat trick.

First-year Rose Babst contributed with a goal and two assists on the afternoon while Richmond had three assists. In goal, sophomore Kati Madouros made seven saves for the Panthers to earn her third shutout of the season.

Amber (six goals, eleven assists) and Erin Neil (seven goals, ten assists) continue to lead the Panthers in production, each with 17 points to date on the season, tied for first on the team and sixth in the league. The junior defenseman and forward, respectively, have combined with each other numerous times this season for goals.

The Panthers will hit the road this week, starting out with a grudge match against conference rival Williams on Wednesday, then traveling to Amherst and Hamilton this weekend to complete the all NESCAC affair.

Coach Bill Mandigo's troops will have to keep their intensity up as they play nine road games out of the final 12 games of the season before NESCAC and probable NCAA tournament play begins.