A rowdy crowd of nearly a thousand held their breath as Kylie Quinlan ’25 skated towards the goal, 5:07 elapsed in a tense back-and-forth overtime period. Quinlan, a flash of navy and white, pushing through a sea of purple Ephs jerseys, smacked the puck into the left corner of Williams’ net. Coaches, players and fans alike erupted.
Three years removed from an NCAA national championship, defending champions Middlebury (#2 seed in the NESCAC tournament) faced #7-ranked Williams on Saturday at Chip Kenyon ’85 Arena in a high-stakes, NESCAC quarterfinals.
Middlebury won the opening faceoff, controlling the puck in Williams’ zone for the first four minutes of the game. The Panthers managed 13 shots on goal in the first period, pressuring Williams’ goalie Erin Pye, but struggling to convert their strong offensive sets to competitive shots.
Williams’ best scoring opportunity in the first came 12 minutes in, when Skyler Moore stole the puck and bore down on Middlebury goalie Sophia Merageas ’25, only for the shot to be smothered by Merageas. The first period ended scoreless.
The second period brought moments of chaos for the Panthers. Middlbeury had a couple of sloppy puck control moments, resulting in numerous heart-rate escalating moments on the defensive end. Merageas had one of her finest saves 7:49 in, rejecting a crowded tip-in attempt and recording one of her 31 saves of the game — the second time she has eclipsed the 30 save mark this season.
“She’s in her own space, her own mindset,” captain Cat Appleyard ‘25 said of Merageas’ goalie play. “We all want to do well, not only for ourselves, but for Sophia. It would have been a completely different game if she wasn’t in the net.”
Momentum shifted midway through the second at the 12-minute mark, following a controversial no-tripping call against Williams by the referees. Coach Bill Mandigo was visibly unhappy with it, as were Middlebury players and fans, but the Panthers used the call as fuel and proceeded to rain down shots on the opponent’s goal, increasing their physicality. Appleyard noted that intense, physical practices prepare the players for the reality of a hard-fought game.
Despite back-to-back power plays late in the period, the Panthers couldn’t break through.
Unfortunately for Middlebury, Pye continued her streak of excellent saves — even through a Panther power play towards the later side of the second period. It looked as if Cece Ziegler ’25 might break the deadlock with 40 seconds remaining, but she was hooked before she could get a shot off, setting up another power play to open the third.
This time, Middlebury delivered. Kate Flynn ’27 buried the shot off a face-off assist from Olivia McManus ’27 – 1-0 Panthers.
“Our power play has been strong throughout the season,” Appleyard said. “So getting that first goal [while having the advantage] really boosted our confidence.”
For a moment, it looked as if Middlebury might squeak through with a 1–0 victory (and with it a nice early dinner for yours truly) until 18:34 into the third, when the Ephs countered with a goal of their own. After a minute and a half of pressuring the Panthers’ zone, Williams’ Lucie Bond netted the equalizer, silencing the home crowd and sending the game to overtime.
Fans inhaled a sharp breath as the overtime whistle rang. They didn’t let it out until Quinlan’s game-winning goal sealed a thrilling matchup of NESCAC rivals just minutes into the extra frame.
The two teams split the regular season series, with the Panthers winning 7–0 in the first game and falling 4–1 in the second. Middlebury’s 18–5–1 overall record (10–5–1 conference) far outstrips the Ephs’ 12–11–1 record (5–10–1 conference), but four of the Panthers’ five losses this season came on the road.
At home, the Panthers have dominated the opposition, with their only home loss coming to Bowdoin on Jan. 25. Otherwise, they have secured 10 wins and one tie. Coming into this game, Appleyard projected confidence regarding home ice advantage — adding that the team has 10 seniors who bring experience in intense playoff environments at home and away games.
“But playoffs are tough,” Appleyard said, “We need to prepare to fight into overtime each game and win the close ones.”
In many ways, this playoff run mirrors last year’s — and the run in 2022 — creating a full-circle moment for many of the seniors.
“Going back to the locker room after the third period brought me back to my freshman year,” said Appleyard about her leadership role. “Except now I’m the one on the other end sharing wisdom.”
Quinlan’s goal sends the Panthers to the NESCAC semifinals, where they will face #3 Colby College on March 8 in Amherst, Mass. The winner will advance to the conference final the next day.
The semifinal game will test the Panthers’ budding confidence, as Colby previously handed the team two shutout losses on Feb. 21 and 22. The Panthers will look to turn the tables, giving Middlebury women’s hockey a chance for the sweet taste of redemption and a shot at the NESCAC title.
For those lucky folks with cars and no readings, Amherst is calling — show up next weekend to support the Panthers!
Kanan Clifford '28.5 (he/him) is a Sports Editor.
Kanan is a probable Molecular Biology/Biochemistry major, with additional interests in history and politics. At Middlebury, he sails, is on the board of the South Asian Students Association, and is an avid baker!
