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Friday, Mar 29, 2024

Women’s Hockey Remains Undefeated in the NESCAC

The Middlebury women’s hockey team won a two-game homestand against NESCAC foe Bowdoin this weekend, winning 2-0 on Friday, Jan. 22, before surging to a 4-2 victory Saturday, Jan. 23, in Chip Kenyon ’85 Arena.

Coming off a 5-0 home win against Endicott College on Jan. 16, the Panthers returned to the Kenyon ice on Friday to post their second shutout in a row. The first period was fast-paced as both teams created good scoring chances in the first few minutes of play.

The Panthers controlled the puck for most of the first and had 10 shots on goal to Bowdoin’s five. Middlebury had a golden opportunity in a power play with 34 seconds left in the first period. Sophomore star Maddie Winslow ’18 capitalized by sending a loose puck over Polar Bear netminder Sophia Lattanzio, giving Middlebury the 1-0 lead with 15 seconds left in the first.

The momentum from Winslow’s goal carried over into the second period. The Panthers came out of the locker room with fury: pressuring the Bowdoin defense just a minute into the second, Elizabeth Wulf ’18, assisted by Jessica Young ’18, fired a slapshot directly at Lattanzio. Her save left the puck behind the net, but Winslow — the girl on fire — hustled to the puck and hooked it gracefully past Lattanzi’s skate. With the goal, Winslow both doubled her team’s lead and brought her total goals scored to seven this season.

Bowdoin’s best opportunity to score in the period came at the 13:48 mark, as Miranda Bell made two moves to get through the Panther defense, but goalie Julia Neuberger ’18 deflected the shot wide.

In the final period, the Polar Bears narrowed their deficit in shots on goal to 5-7. Though they earned three power plays, Middlebury’s defense muted those opportunities. In the final minute, the Panthers, taking no lead for granted, kept the puck deep in Bowdoin’s zone, forcing Lattanzio to stay in her goal and forgoing Bowdoin the chance of an extra attacker.

The Panthers dominated the ice, clocking a 30-13 edge in shots on goal over the course of the game.

At Kenyon the next day, the women’s squad seized another victory, this time 4-2. Middlebury had three power plays and attempted five shots in the first 10 minutes, but Lattanzio was no sieve. The Polar Bears lost the puck to Anna Van Kula ’16, who seized it at the blueline and sent a pass down the ice to Shanna Hickman ’19. The first-year forward muscled her way to the front of the net and placed the puck right through the legs of Bowdoin goalie Lan Crofton. The assist, from senior to freshman, is one of many moments this season proving the viability of the freshman squad. “We have a really young team this year, with 15 underclassman. It’s been fun to see all of the freshman stepping up, making some huge plays and scoring some important goals for us,” Winslow said.

At 15:24, Bowdoin’s Bell tied the game at 1-1 when she gathered the puck in her defensive zone following a Panther turnover. In the final minute of the second, the Panthers, led on a drive by Janka Hlinka ’18, turned up the pressure. Hlinka sent the puck netward, and Winslow tipped it between Crofton’s legs. The goal was Winslow’s team-leading eighth of the season.

The final period saw Middlebury gain some breathing room at 7:48 when Jessica Young stuffed home a loose puck from the edge of the crease for the eventual game-winning score after Crofton saved an attempt by Winslow on the doorstep. Young furthered Middlebury’s lead to 4-1 with a wrister over Crofton’s shoulder at 16:06 in the third. With 21 seconds remaining, Bowdoin’s Jessica Bowen managed a goal to bring the score to 4-2, where it stayed as time expired.

The Panthers are on a four-game winning streak now, and seem to have taken their tough 0-3 loss to top-ranked Plattsburgh State on Jan. 12 to heart.
“We have only been getting better since we got back from winter break,” Winslow said. “I think everyone came back from break on the same page: that we are going to outwork every team we play from here on out. Our team motto right now is to do the ‘little things.’ It’s about winning the little battles — back checking hard, blocking shots. If everyone perfects these ‘little things,’ then we can keep this momentum we have through the rest of the season.”

Having made three goals during the homestand against Bowdoin, Winslow stands out as a powerful force for the team. But she credits her tallies to her teammates.
“I’m glad I have been able to help my team by putting the puck in the net, but all our points have been a collective team effort,” Winslow said. “Most of my goals have been off of beautiful plays and passes by my teammates so they deserve as much credit as me for them. I look at a goal as a collaborative success, so I am happy that as a team we have been able to put the puck in the net and win some big games!”

With the two wins, Middlebury’s record improved to 5-0-3 in conference and 9-3-3 overall. Next stop for the Panthers, who stand at the top of the NESCAC standing and seventh in the national polls, is Clinton, N.Y., where they will take play two tough league games against the Hamilton Continentals on Friday, Jan. 29, and Saturday, Jan. 30, in hopes of maintaining their undefeated NESCAC record.


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