Thompson '09 shines in triumph over Bates

Author: Sarah Bryan

The past two weeks have been a rollercoaster of a ride for the Middlebury field hockey team as it fights for the top spot nationally and within NESCAC. Two weekends ago the team fell to Tufts in overtime. Hungry for victory, the Panthers responded this week with shutout wins over Keene State and Bates. The three games were a test of character and endurance and the team's response proves that Middlebury has a solid team here on the turf.

Against Tufts, the girls put forth a valiant effort, coming from behind and taking the Jumbos into overtime. Going into the second half, the Panthers were down 2-1, thanks to Chase Delano's '11 response goal just minutes after Tufts scored their second. During the second half, Delano scored again while co-captain and goalie Caitlin Pentifallo '09 kept Tufts out of the net. After 70 minutes of grueling play, the teams moved to overtime, in which only six players and a goalie take the field for sudden death. After a few nifty saves from Pentifallo, Tufts' Tamara Brown netted the game-winner for the Jumbos, sending the Panthers to a 3-2 defeat.

After the tough loss to Tufts, Middlebury rebounded quickly on Oct. 14th as it traveled to Keene State. Delano put the Panthers in the lead 22 minutes into the first half while Heather McCormack '10 scored another before the half. The second half was a repeat of the first - Delano scored first, then McCormick answered to put the Panthers on top 4-0. The defense stayed strong throughout, letting Keene State take only three shots during the entire game.

Middlebury dominated Bates this past Saturday, scoring a season-high nine goals and completing its fourth shutout. Marnie Rowe '08.5 set the tempo from the start, scoring just 2:30 into the game. Within two minutes of Rowe's goal, McCormack put one past the Bobcats off a penalty corner. By halftime, Middlebury was up 5-0 and continued to score well into the last minute of play. Continuing her comeback from a torn ACL suffered last season, Sophie Thompson '09 played her heart out, scoring four goals in the contest.

"I'm making up for what I missed last season," said Thompson. "I am so pleased with both my personal performance as well as the team's. Despite being away for a year, I feel right at home with these girls, both on and off the field."

The game against Bates was the seniors' last home game of the regular season. Pentifallo, Rowe, Taryn Petrelli '09, Lindsay McBride '09 and Thompson were all honored with flowers before the start of the game, and their performance helped pull the Panthers to a stellar victory.

In addition to the special attention for the seniors, this weekend was also Homecoming, in which the current Middlebury squad also honored the 1998 field hockey team that won the National Championship. Almost every player from that team came up for their 10-year reunion, proving that the bonds created on the field can last forever.

With only three games left to go before playoffs, the team hopes to continue build on its momentum and move up in the rankings. After this past weekend, the Panthers stand fourth in the NESCAC and within the top-10 of NCAA Division III. This weekend they travel to Connecticut College, their penultimate conference game before ending the season at Williams.