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(03/07/19 10:55am)
Top-seeded in the NESCAC, the Middlebury men’s basketball team suffered an unexpected loss in the NESCAC quarterfinal round on Saturday, February 16. The next two rounds took place the following weekend and on Monday, February 25, the Panthers heard the news of their bid to the NCAA tournament.
Middlebury, coming into the first-round NCAA Tournament game with a record of 18-7, were on the road to play Nichols (26-2) on March 1 at Rowan University.
The game was back and forth for the duration of the opening round contest. With a minute remaining in the second half, Middlebury was up 72-71 after a pair of free throws from Griffin Kornaker ’21. But after both Nichols and Middlebury missed shots after each of their chances at possession, Nichols netted two free throws for a 74-71 lead with 22 seconds remaining.
Middlebury called a timeout. The ball was turned over to Nichols’ possession, and the Bisons played strong keep away while the clock ran out. Edged by Nichols, the 14th seed, the Panthers fell to the Bisons by three points, with a final score of 74-71.
Matt Folger ’20 led the team in points and in rebounds—achieving a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Eric McCord ’19 netted 10 points and had 10 boards alongside a game-high of three blocked shots. His co-captain, Hilal Dahleh ’19, had eight points, five rebounds and three assists.
The Middlebury men’s basketball team finishes 18-8, yet came out of the regular season first in the NESCAC and with two good fights in two post-season contests. Middlebury topped Nichols in rebounds 49-36 and also had 32 bench points while Nichols put up 1.
The season comes to a close with the team’s 10th trip to the NCAA tournament in the last 12 years and a history of a 15-9 record in tournament action. Middlebury led the NESCAC and ranked fourth in Division III for blocked shots per game and fifth nationally in rebounds per game—44.92. Head Coach Jeff Brown has completed his 22nd year as head coach of the Panthers, having eclipsed the 400 career win mark as a head coach in January. Friday’s game between Nichols and Middlebury marked the fifth time in program history that the two teams have met since the very first matchup in 1979.
(02/21/19 10:54am)
The Middlebury men’s basketball yteam, ranked 25th overall, fell to Tufts this past Saturday in the NESCAC quarterfinals at home, Saturday, Feb. 16. The Panthers were seeded first in the NESCAC and remain hopeful for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament after the NESCAC tournament comes to a close.
A back-and-forth game from start to finish, Tufts had its biggest lead over the Panthers with seven minutes remaining in the first half, 26-21. The first half alone had eight lead changes and six ties, one tie produced from a free throw from Eric McCord ’19 with five minutes to spare on the clock to make the game 27-27. Middlebury then edged Tufts by a point with 17 seconds in the first half on the clock, with a layup by Hilal Dahleh ’19 that made the game 39-38.
Tufts scored a three-pointer right as the buzzer sounded before the half, leaving the game 41-39 as both teams broke for halftime.
Middlebury came out hot on the court in the second half and held a 72-67 lead over Tufts with five and a half minutes remaining in the game. The Jumbos, ranked eighth in the NESCAC, closed the game with 18 points, holding Middlebury to only four. Tufts pulled off the victory 85-76.
Eric McCord, co-captain of the Panthers, led the team and the game in points and rebounds, 19 and 10, respectively. Jack Farrell ’21 put up 13 points and four assists.
As Middlebury waits for its opportunity at an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, Tufts will advance to the NESCAC semifinals. With an impressive 18-7 record, Middlebury—the top-ranked team in the NESCAC entering the postseason—will anxiously await the NCAA decision.
(02/14/19 10:54am)
The men’s basketball team sealed away its 2018-19 regular season schedule with two NESCAC conference games this past Friday and Saturday, Feb. 8 and 9. Middlebury hosted No. 8 Hamilton (5-3 in the NESCAC) on Friday night, pulling off a 80-79 win over the Continentals.
Max Bosco ’21 shot a three with 2.4 seconds left in the game, propelling the Panthers to a one-point win as the buzzer sounded.
“Anything that we had to do to win and get the chance to clinch home court for [the] NESCAC tournament was big. We didn’t give up, even down a few points, and coming up with a win definitely propelled us with energy into Saturday against Amherst,” said Bosco.
Middlebury faced No. 19 Amherst on Saturday afternoon in Pepin Gymnasium and ultimately fell to the Mammoths 97-93. Jack Farrell ’21 led the Panthers in points, posting up 22, and Bosco and Eric McCord ’19 each had 12. Amherst tallied the final five points for the victory.
The Panthers stand second in the NESCAC, as Amherst and Hamilton will play a makeup game on Tuesday night, Feb. 12, which will determine the final conference standings. Middlebury comes in hot to the postseason with an 18-6 record, and 7-2 in the NESCAC.
“Against both Hamilton and Amherst we played really good, team basketball,” commented Bosco. “We all wanted to win for each other, which was great.”
The Panthers will stay attentive to the outcome of the NESCAC game on Tuesday night, but have a focus at practice this week.
“We feel confident in how we are playing right now, but will continue to work on defensive intensity,” said Bosco. “We came into both games this past weekend with a lot of energy and well-prepared.”
(01/24/19 10:55am)
The Middlebury men’s basketball team pulled off its second straight win of the week, knocking off No. 3 Williams in a NESCAC contest this past Saturday, Jan. 19. Middlebury led Williams 47-31 nearly five minutes into the game, and concluded with a 12-point, 80-66 victory.
Co-captain Hilal Dahleh ’19 commented on the momentum: “We were confident after beating a good team in Albertus Magnus. We knew we were looked at as the underdogs, but we didn’t see it that way and were ready to compete as soon as we got off the bus at Williams.”
Jack Farrell ’21 was named NESCAC Player of the Week, and led the game in points and assists at 24 and five, respectively.
With eight minutes remaining in the game on Saturday afternoon, Farrell netted five points while Dahleh scored a three to help the Panthers regain their double-digit lead.
“The key to our win on Saturday was also our defense. Williams is one of the best teams in the country, with a lot of weapons, so we had to dig in and play a great defensive game. They have a lot of guys who can light it up from behind the arc, but we were able to hold them to just 2/20 from three just by being there on every catch.”
Matt Folger ’20 added 17 points, and co-captain Eric McCord ’19 led the game in rebounds for Middlebury.
The Panthers will return to action on Sunday, Jan. 27, hosting Trinity at 2 p.m. in Pepin Gymnasium.
“We’re going to build off of the big win and prepare hard for Trinity on Sunday. Ultimately the goal is the same as it always is, which is to win the NESCAC and be playing our best basketball once tournament time rolls around.”
Middlebury has five games remaining in the regular season before the tournament, and all of them are NESCAC games. The team persists with the goal as it always has been: to win the NESCAC Championship.
(01/17/19 10:57am)
The men’s basketball team was on the road this past weekend, competing against two NESCAC rivals on Jan. 11 and 12. Coming hot off of a 20-point win against Widener University on Tuesday, Jan. 8, Middlebury pulled off a 100-93 victory over Bates on Friday. However, the Panthers fell to Tufts by two points on Saturday, 86-84; with seven seconds remaining in Cousens Gym, the Jumbos hit a 15-foot baseline jump shot to lift Tufts two points past the Panthers.
Matt Folger ’20 commented on Middlebury’s loss, saying, “Certainly after this weekend we were disappointed to lose another close NESCAC game because there are only 10, so one loss can be the difference between hosting a first-round conference tournament game and not even making the tournament. However, there are a ton of good teams in our conference so while a 2-2 record in NESCAC play isn’t what we wanted coming out of the weekend, we are still in a position to make the postseason tournament and are still confident we can beat any team on our schedule.”
Both Friday and Saturday’s games were back-and-forth, and despite losing, Middlebury outrebounded the Jumbos 55-40 on Saturday afternoon. Folger himself had 16 points and 13 boards this weekend. “We moved and shared the ball well against both teams this past weekend, which is when we are most successful as a team. The energy and effort was also there, and out-rebounding Tufts on Saturday gave us an opportunity to [keep us in the game] despite our poor shooting percentage,” Folger said.
The Panthers also had many notable accomplishments deep in the roster this past weekend. Jack Farrell ’21 scored 20 points on Friday night against Bates and had a career high of eight assists. Fresh off the start, Middlebury’s Griffin Kornaker ’22 made an early three-pointer, leading the game 10-7 at the 15:27 mark.
When asked what the Panthers would work on in practice this week, Folger mentioned, “We’re going to focus on our defensive rotations and transition defense because a few missed rotations can be the difference in close games.”
The Panthers will compete on the road against at Albertus Magnus College — a team that is skilled in transition on the court — on Jan. 15, and then take on the Williams Ephs on Saturday, Jan. 19.
(12/06/18 10:56am)
After an 83-37 victory in its home opener in Pepin Gymnasium, the Middlebury men’s basketball team propelled itself to five more wins, only suffering one recent loss this past Saturday. The Panthers remain 12th-ranked and continue with momentum, having yet to host or visit another NESCAC team.
Middlebury improved to 4-0 on the season with a 78-63 road win at Morrisville State on Tuesday night, Nov. 27. The Panthers came out fast with a 10-2 lead, with seven points from Jack Farrell ’21. With that, Middlebury’s bench also outscored Morrisville State’s by an impressive margin of 43-8.
Hot shooting led the men’s basketball team past New England College, 4-1 in their schedule, shooting .556 from long-range distance to pull out a 97-68 victory on Thursday, Nov. 29. Matt Folger ’20 led Middlebury in points at NEC, recording a career high of 28. Max Bosco ’21 and Hilal Dahleh ’19 netted 14 points, while Eric McCord ’19 pulled down eight rebounds.
On Saturday, Dec. 1, Middlebury hosted Keene State for its third game in five days, falling to Keene 93-88. A setback in the sixth game of the season, the loss marks Middlebury’s only loss in the 2018-19 season. Farrell led the Panthers in points, with a career high of 30. McCord, co-captain with Dahleh, posted 10 boards for the game.
McCord commented on previous meetings with the Panthers’ opponent, Keene State, and the team’s mentality going into Saturday: “We want to be confident going into any game, but at the same time we know that Keene State is a great opponent who we have battled with every year, so we had a lot of respect for them. We know we had to come to play.”
The team fought back hard in the second half, which McCord described as “showing fight and relentlessness.”
The Panthers (5-1) have a lot to be proud of, and will show up to play Plattsburgh State on Tuesday night, Dec. 4. Plattsburgh State is ranked 13th, one spot below Middlebury. “We’re definitely disappointed in the loss, but there are a lot of positives to take away [from the Keene State game]. Our team chemistry continues to improve, and we just keep getting better playing together,” McCord said. As the season continues, the Middlebury men’s basketball team is a force to be reckoned with.
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(10/18/17 11:37pm)
Not only did the Middlebury Field Hockey team blank both Trinity on Saturday, Oct. 14, and then Husson on Sunday, Oct. 15, but the Panthers have not allowed a goal in the last 245 minutes of game play. It was a big weekend.
“It feels really good going 2–0 two weekends in a row, especially because it’s good practice having double headers at this point in our season since we’re approaching playoffs,” Molly Freeman ’19 said. “We were able to adapt to the playing styles of both teams, while still playing our own game.
“The best opportunities for improvement come from playing good opponents,” team captain Lauren Schweppe ’18 said, to Freeman’s point. “Being in a league as competitive as the Nescac means that every game gives us a chance to test our skills, learn more about who we are as a team, and learn how we can keep improving our game going forward. We’re excited to play two great teams this coming week and look forward to continuing to learn and grow as a team.”
Middlebury, now ranked third nationally, picked up its sixth straight victory against Trinity, cruising past the Bantams 4–0. Marissa Baker ’20 one-timed a pass from Annie Leonard ’18 to first put the Panthers on the board, and Leonard herself put one away with eight minutes remaining in the first half.
Starting the next half up 2–0, a penalty corner directed into the back of the cage by Freeman gave Middlebury a 3–0 lead.
Three minutes later, Audrey Quirk ’18 put Trinity to rest with the fourth and final goal of the game.
Middlebury’s seventh straight victory came the next day, hosting Husson last Sunday, Oct. 15, while the Panthers cruised past even easier, winning 7–0. Annie Leonard had a goal and assist during the game, which propelled her to third place in career points and an impressive second place in career goals, with 67.
The Panthers put away six goals in the first half, Baker with the first, a minute into the game, followed by Leonard’s. Grace Jennings ’19 gave the team a 3–0 edge after a scramble in front of the net, marking her fourth of the season.
Julia Richards ’20 put three goals into the back of Husson’s cage before the first half ended.
Fourteen minutes into the second half, Amanda Bozorgi ’19 tallied her first career goal, lofting it over the goalie’s shoulder to seal the deal.
Middlebury held a 30–1 advantage in shots.
“Our defensive success comes from our focus in practice on full-team defense,” Schweppe said. “Our forwards and midfielders have been doing a great job of putting pressure on the ball all over the field, keeping our opponents out of our defensive zone. That, combined with defensive teamwork in the circle, backed by some great saves from our goalies, has kept the ball out of the goal.”
Middlebury continues its Nescac competition on Saturday, Oct. 21, in Lewiston, Maine, to take on Bates at 12 p.m.
(10/11/17 9:30pm)
The field hockey team surged past No. 4 Tufts and shutout Wesleyan on the road this past Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8 and 9. The Panthers win over Tufts on Saturday was particularly significant because the Jumbos were undefeated and first in the Nescac before that game. With the wins, the Panthers moved into first place in the conference and extended its winning streak to five games.
Sunday’s win also marked the 350th win of head coach Katharine DeLorenzo’s career.
On Saturday, the Panthers jumped out in front less than five minutes into the game when Annie Leonard ’18 fed Marissa Baker ’20 for her third goal of the season.
Tufts responded by scoring twice in the last ten minutes of the first half to take a one goal lead into the break.
Less than 11 minutes into the second half, Middlebury took advantage of a penalty corner when Baker and Leonard reversed roles. Off the insert, Baker passed to Leonard who drove a shot past the Jumbo goalie.
Seven minutes later, off another penalty corner, Molly Freeman ’19 scored her team-leading seventh goal of the season to give the Panthers a lead they would never relinquish.
“We wanted to focus on finishing out shots when the opportunity is presented in practice this past week,” said Marissa Baker ’20. And the Panthers did just that, scoring off two penalty corners to spur their comeback.
Thanks to the defense, Tufts never threatened again, as the Panther defense held the Jumbos without a shot on goal in the last 35 minutes of action.
Middlebury snagged an early lead on Sunday against Wesleyan, when Lauren Schweppe ’18 assisted Leonard. With six minutes left in the first half, Grace Jennings ’19 carried the ball up the left side of the field before setting up Danielle Brown ’21, who netted her fourth goal of the season and gave Middlebury a 2–0 lead.
Annie Leonard ’18 put the game away with Middlebury’s third goal, five minutes into the new half.
Wesleyan had the chance to break through Middlebury’s shut out in the last ten minutes of the game with five shots and a few penalty corners, but none were on frame and Middlebury continued to power through, settling the match 3–0.
Coming off of Saturday’s win at Tufts, the Panther field hockey defense has not allowed a shot on net over the last 105 minutes of play.
“This weekend was one of the biggest of the year,” said Baker. “Tufts is a great team, and it was fun to play against both them and Wesleyan.”
In other news, the win on Sunday marked coach Katharine DeLorenzo’s 350th career victory.
“Coach DeLorenzo’s 350 wins is evidence of her incredible leadership of the Middlebury field hockey program,” Schweppe said. “Her patience, enthusiasm and love for here team and the game is inspiring. My teammates and I all feel incredibly lucky to have had the privilege of playing for her.”
The sixth-ranked Middlebury Panthers, now 6–1 in the Nescac and 9–2 overall, will continue Nescac competition again on Saturday, Oct. 14, when they host Trinity at 11 a.m. on Kohn Field.
“Our team spends a lot of time in practice building relationships on the field, which involves learning each other’s strengths and tendencies,” said Schweppe. “Knowing a teammate’s next move is a huge part of our game.”
(10/04/17 11:44pm)
Middlebury Field Hockey, now an impressive 4–1 in the Nescac and 7–2 overall, swept Colby with a 6–1 win this past Saturday, Sept. 30. The Panthers, ranked seventh nationally, got on the board three times in both halves, only allowing one goal against 57 minutes into the game, on a penalty stroke.
The Panthers also defeated RPI 3–0 on Tuesday, Oct. 3, in a nonconference matchup.
Middlebury got on the board in the opening minutes and the team’s first two goals were scored in quick succession, just ten seconds apart.
The first was a rebound that came off of the stick of Audrey Quirk ’18, while the second goal followed when Marissa Baker ’20 redirected a cross-pitch pass from Grace Jennings ’19. Middlebury came out strong and controlled the match from wire-to-wire.
The Panthers added another goal to go up 3–0 before halftime when senior captain Annie Leonard ’18 tallied her 62nd career goal as she lifted the ball up past Colby goalie Riley Whitmyer.
After the horn sounded and the second half got underway, the Panthers opened up a three goal in 10 minute barrage that all but sent the Mules packing.
Erin Nicholas ’21 recorded two, the first and third of the onslaught, while Lauren Schweppe ’18 tallied Midd’s fifth with a blasted shot from the Mules’ penalty corner.
Middlebury edged Colby 20–14 in shots, yet not even the box score does the Panthers’ domination of Colby justice.
Against RPI, the Panthers won the game in a stretch of 14:15 when it scored all three of its goals in a 3–0 win.
Schweppe started the scoring off with her third goal of the season 10:32 into the game. Just 35 seconds later, Danielle Brown ’21 finished off Jennings’ cross for a 2–0 lead. This was Jennings’ team-leading sixth assist of the season.
Jennings also added her third goal of the season to give Middlebury 3–0 lead it would never relinquish.
The team will be back in action for Nescac play this weekend, as they hit the road to take on no. 4 Tufts and Wesleyan.
(09/28/17 2:39am)
The seventh-ranked field hockey team won its only Nescac game of the weekend by defeating No. 10 Bowdoin 1–0 in a double overtime thriller on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Bowdoin, before traveling to Babson, where they fell to the Beavers 2–1. With the split, the Panthers move to 4–2 overall and 3–1 in the Nescac.
After a scoreless regulation and overtime period, just 26 seconds into the second half of OT.
Annie Leonard ’18 scored the goal to break the scoreless affair and give the Panthers the win, another epic chapter in the rivalry. Erin Nicholas ’21 moved the ball from left to right in the circle then fed Leonard on the right side of the goal, who placed the ball in the back of the net.
The Panthers outshot the Polar Bears 25–8, but it took all 25 to defeat the Polar Bears as Bowdoin Maddie Ferrucci made 14 saves.
In the first start of her career, Abby Furdak ’21 stopped five shots and earned her first career shutout as well.
Leonard’s goal was her 61st of her career, putting her third in program history in career goals.
“It’s an exciting feeling and a huge honor to see my name in the books next to people whom I’ve looked up to,” said Leonard, who needs five more goals to tie Heid Howard ’99 at 66 career tallies.
The shutout also marked the 250th win for head coach Katherine DeLorenzo, who is in her 17th season at Middlebury and holds a 250–60 record — good for a remarkable .806 winning percentage.
Against No. 2 Babson on Sunday, the Panthers didn’t waste any time getting points on the board that day. Grace Jennings ’19 tallied her first goal of the season, finishing a feed from Molly Freeman ’19 into the back of Babson’s net.
Babson tied up the game at one 25 minutes later. The game winner against the Panthers came 49 minutes into the match, off a penalty corner finish against the Middlebury defense.
Despite the loss, Leonard thought the Panthers adapted well and played good defense all weekend.
“This weekend we did a particularly good job of adapting to the different conditions we faced. From practicing on water-based AstroTurf all week, to playing on dry AstroTurf on Saturday, to field turf on Sunday, in addition to facing two very different teams, we adjusted well to the conditions and were able to maintain pressure on our opponents and play tough throughout the entirety of both games. Our team defense overall was excellent, and we did a stellar job of making forward progression very difficult for the opposition. In addition, our first-year goalie, Abby Furdak, started her first two games this weekend, and stepped up very well and made some big saves.”
Even in defeat, the Panthers outshot the Beavers 16–11 and had 14 penalty corners to the Beavers’ 6.
“There were many opportunities on offense, particularly inside the circle and on corner plays, that we couldn’t quite capitalize on, so that will certainly be a focus for us in practice this week,” Leonard said. “Our team is very strong technically and tactically, but this weekend was especially important in telling what we need to work on specifically going forward. We look forward to addressing these focus areas in practice and are excited for what’s to come.”
The Panthers will host Nescac foe Colby on Saturday, Sept. 30, before another nonconference home matchup against Rensselaer on Tuesday, Oct. 3.
(09/21/17 12:53am)
Fifth-ranked field hockey had a Nescac doubleheader last weekend, Saturday, Sept. 16 and Sunday, Sept. 17. They started the weekend with a 2–1 road victory at Amherst on Saturday, but could not manage to recoup for their Sunday tilt with Hamilton. The 3–2 loss to the Camels snapped Middlebury’s 26 game home win streak, which dated back to 2014.
Against the Mammoths, who could not muster anything offensively in the first half, the Panthers struck first 12 minutes into the game when Audrey Quirk ’18 rebounded a penalty corner taken by Lauren Schweppe ’18.
Olivia Green ’20 talked about how the team’s execution of a new formation was a key to their success.
“We were really able to shut down Amherst’s top players and worked well together,” Green said. “We did a great job moving the ball around the field and connecting on our passes.”
The Mammoths did not manage to get on the board until late in the second half, but the tie did not last long as Kelly Coyle ’20 answered right back with a shot that railed into the back of the net. Coyle’s goal sealed a 2–1 Panther victory. The level of play was not as close as the score indicated though, with Middlebury finishing with a 17–7 shot advantage.
Middlebury could not enjoy the road victory for long, as not even 24 hours later they made the trek back to Kohn Field where they took on an increasingly formidable Hamilton team.
The team suffered its first setback of the season as Hamilton got on the board with 2 goals in the first half. Emma Johns ’20 closed out the half with a rebounded shot and gave the Panthers some momentum going into the next half.
Hamilton scored again 10 minutes into the second half, but Quirk made it a one-goal game with a minute remaining, as she tipped in a pass from Molly Freeman ’19. It was too little, too late.
“The captains did a great job at uniting the team at the end of the weekend,” said Green. They helped the team “keep our heads up high and look to the future instead of dwelling on the past.”
Middlebury will take their 2–1 conference record to Brunswick, Maine, on Saturday where faceoff is set for 11 a.m.
(09/14/17 4:01am)
After cruising to a 12–1 victory over Castleton to open the season last Wednesday, Sept. 6, the Middlebury Women’s Field Hockey team is off to a 2–0 start in what is looking to be a promising season. The team pulled out a 4–1 win over Conn. College on Sunday, Sept. 10, to keep the momentum going.
Middlebury took the 1–0 lead about 16 minutes into the game when Molly Freeman ’19 tipped in a shot from Lauren Schweppe ’18 on a penalty corner.
Conn. College tied the game at 1–1 10 minutes later, but Freeman answered right back with a goal right before the end of the first half. Middlebury lead 2–1 as time expired.
Freeman commented on the team’s momentum coming into the upcoming season:
“I think after having 2 games, we’re really beginning to adjust to our new formation, and seeing what works and doesn’t work for us.”
The Panthers started the second half by pushing the lead to 3–1 when Grace Jennings ’19 stopped the ball for a shot by Annie Leonard ’18. That marked Leonard’s third goal of the season and the impressive 60th of her career.
Leonard’s 60th career goal ties her with Reid Berrien ’08 for third all-time on the Middlebury goals list.
The Panthers then finished off the game with a fourth goal 50 minutes into the game, with a shot from Erin Nicholas ’21.
Middlebury outshot the Camels 20–5.
“We have a really deep team this year and also a really high energy level throughout the game,” Freeman said. “It allows us to dictate the tempo and work with a lot of different people on the field so far.”
Middlebury hits the field again this weekend with a double header, first away on Saturday Sept. 16 at Amherst and back home on Sunday, Sept. 17, against Hamilton to complete the weekend, at 11 a.m. on Kohn Field.
(05/11/17 1:33am)
All good things must come to an end. Though both advanced to their respective NESCAC Championships on Saturday, May 6, the men’s and women’s tennis teams fell to their respective opponents on Sunday, May 7.
This marked the men’s team’s third consecutive visit to the NESCAC Championship. Though they took home hardware last year, the team’s repeat bid came up short as they fell 5-4 to Bowdoin in what was a back and forth affair.
The Middlebury-Bowdoin match-up was rematch of the 2016 NESCAC Tournament final.
“Everyone on the team was confident and excited for the final on Sunday,” said Lubo Cuba ’19. “We beat Bowdoin in the regular season, so we felt like we had the upper hand.
“Even though we lost, I feel like we were the better team so hopefully we get another chance to play them in the NCAAs.”
Middlebury took a 2-1 lead after doubles play, as the no. 1 pair of Cuba and Will de Quant ’18 topped their opponents at No. 1. Bowdoin reacted and quickly tied the match at 2-2 during singles, as the Polar Bears took away wins at No. 2 , No. 4, and No. 5.
“Everyone played hard and competed until the last point,” Cuba said. “Unfortunately, the final didn’t go our way, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t play well. Like I said, we’ll rebound and do our best in NCAAs.”
On the women’s side, the top-ranked Panthers returned to the championship round for the second year in a row.
After defeating Bowdoin 5-2 in the semis, the Panthers matched up with No. 2 Williams on Sunday for the championship match, at their home court. Williams was coming off of a 5-0 victory over No. 3 Tufts in the semis on Saturday.
“Going into the championship round we were feeling quite confident,” said Kaysee Orozco ’17. “We were definitely feeling some nerves, which was normal, especially as a team with 5/9 players being freshmen, but we recognized them early and knew we were going to overcome them.”
“This was our second time making the NESCAC finals in program history, but this year we weren’t content with just being finalists — we were eager and ready to take the title,” Orozco continued.
The loss off the Championship marked the snap of a 10-match win streak, as the women finished 14-4. Though the Panthers came up short, the team is expected to received an at-large bid, announced on Monday.
Williams took away two of the three doubles matches against Middlebury, and made it 3-1 after a singles win at the No. 3 spot. Catherine Blayze ’20 brought the Panthers to within a point with a win at No. 4 singles, but the Panthers suffered two more singles losses at Nos. 5 and 6.
Though both teams suffered a disappointing past Sunday, both the men’s and women’s teams came away with high chances in a shot at the NCAAs, given a consistent, successful season.
“As a whole, and as a senior on the team, I couldn’t have asked for a better final season looking at our results on paper and I couldn’t have dreamed of a stronger group of underclassmen alongside myself and fellow senior Alexandra Fields, willing to give in to our team culture and contribute to our achievements on court right from day one,” said Orozco.
“In my three years here, we have never gone undefeated in the conference during the regular season, and despite our loss this past weekend, we all firmly believe this is still our year,” she said.
“We have put in so much work on and off the court all year, and it’s crazy to think it still wasn’t enough, but we are ready for the work to come that will get us that NCAA title.”
(05/04/17 1:59am)
Last weekend, April 29-30, both the men’s and women’s tennis teams rounded out their last matches of the regular season, posting wins across the board. The men’s team ended their season with a 6-3 win at no. 8 Amherst, while the women swept both Amherst and Skidmore 9-0.
The women’s team has moved up to no. 2 in the national polls, closing out a 10-game winning streak.
“Coming off the weekend, we feel united as a team,” said Maddi Stow ’20. “Now that we have a taste of how winning feels, we want to keep it up heading into postseason.”
On the men’s side, the top-ranked team won nine of their last 10 matches. Both teams will return to the court next weekend at the NESCAC Championships, hosted by Williams.
The women’s team kicked off the weekend with an outdoor home match on Saturday. The hosts jumped to a 3-0 lead after doubles play, and won straight-set wins in five of six matches in singles. Heather Boehm ’20 breezed by her opponent at no. 5 and Alexandra Fields ’17 clinched the match at the top spot.
Christina Puccinelli ’19 posted a win at no. 2 singles, while Stow fought back from a set down at the sixth spot.
Boehm also posted her 12th-consecutive victory overall, and clinched the match with a 6-1, 7-5 victory at the no. 2 spot over Skidmore.
Last week, Boehm commented that the key thing getting Midd through each match is the energy.
“The support we give to each other on and off the court gives us a huge advantage over other teams,” she said.
The men’s side travelled to Amherst, Mass., on Sunday to close out their regular season slate. The Panthers won two of three matches during doubles play, only allowing the hosts to get on the board with a win at no. 3.
Lubo Cuba ’19 and William de Quant ’18 battled at no. 1, forcing a seven-point tie breaker during their doubles match. Amherst scored the first four points, but the top-ranked Middlebury pair answered with seven-straight points, pushing Middlebury up 2-1.
“We did what we’ve been doing all season,” Cuba said. “We compete hard and play to our strengths and we were fortunate enough to walk away with a win today.”
Entering singles, Cuba claimed Middlebury’s third point with a 6-2, 6-4 victory, while de Quant also followed up with a 6-3, 6-4 win at no. 2.
The team only suffered two following losses in singles play. Hamid Derbani ’17 clinched the match at no. 3 with a tough 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (5) win.
Both teams roll into NESCACs this weekend, May 6-7, coming off hard-fought victories.
“We are ready to compete for each other and for Midd,” Stow said about the teams’ momentum. “We want to keep that in mind as we compete under increased pressure.”
“Our mindset won’t change for the postseason,” Cuba added. “We have been working hard every single practice and workout and that’ll stay consistent. We know we put in the work and I think that’ll reflect in our performance in NESCACs and NCAAs.”
(04/27/17 3:32am)
The Middlebury men’s and women’s tennis teams played a match-packed weekend — the women’s team playing a triple header on Friday, April 21, Saturday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23, and the men’s team playing two matches both days of the weekend. While the women’s team solely played MIT on Friday, both teams faced fellow NESCAC rivals Trinity and Wesleyan over the weekend. The men’s team, while breezing past Trinity on Saturday, fell to eighth ranked Wesleyan on Sunday.The third-ranked women’s team kicked off its weekend of home matches with a 9-0 sweep of no. 22 MIT. Wet weather forced the match inside, but the hosts notched their sixth-straight win regardless. With the weather cooperating on Saturday, the women’s team posted its seventh-straight win with a 9-0 victory over Trinity. The Panthers cruised in straight sets during all six singles wins after putting up all three points during doubles play.
To seal the deal, a strong singles game lifted Middlebury past no. 6 Wesleyan outside on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers were down 2-1 after doubles, but the Panthers rallied back, claiming five of six points in singles.
“It’s been an incredible season so far and we are extremely excited heading into the postseason,” said Molly Paradies ’19. “As the season progresses, we just keep reminding ourselves to stay in the moment and approach our matches one at a time.”
The team reeled three-straight victories to close out the match. Paradies clinched the match at no. 5 with a 7-5, 6-0 win.
“Clinching the match against Wesleyan was an amazing feeling, but my win was only one of the 6 points that earned us the victory,” said Paradies. “It is always a team effort and everyone contributed to that win on Sunday.”
On the men’s side, the team saw mixed results. The top-ranked team breezed past Trinity on Saturday, recording a 9-0 home victory for an eighth-consecutive win, but fell to no. 8 Wesleyan on Sunday.
The visitors were on top after doubles play, winning two of the three matches, but the Panthers fought back when William de Quant ’18 won 6-4, 6-3 at the no. 2 spot.
Lubo Cuba ’19 and de Quant won a tight 9-7 victory at the top spot in doubles, and Cuba also fought back from a set down for a win at no. 1 in singles.
The match was tied 4-4 after the Panthers took away two points with Cuba’s victory and a win from Kyle Schlanger ’18, but went down 5-4 after a hard-fought loss at no. 6.
The Middlebury tennis teams are back in action next weekend away at Amherst, on Saturday, April 29.
(04/21/17 6:08pm)
Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams claimed their names in Maine this past Friday and Saturday, April 14-15, as both teams defeated Colby and Bowdoin. The men’s team remains no. 1 in the national polls while the women’s team has moved up to no. 3.
The men’s side knocked off no. 4 Bowdoin 6-3 in what was a rematch of last year’s NCAA Championship. This is Middlebury’s seventhconsecutive win, now 5-0 in the NESCAC.
Lubo Cuba ’19 commented on his team’s success, “If one guy struggled, the team was there to help him, and I think this supportive team environment is what really sets us apart.”
The no. 1 tandem of Cuba and William de Quant ’18 edged their opponents with an 8-4, putting Middlebury up 1-0 as the match opened. At number 3, Timo van der Geest ’18 and Peter Martin ’19 notched a key victory at the end of doubles play, giving the Panthers a 2-1 edge.
In singles, Cuba grabbed a 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 victory at the top seed, while Hamid Derbani ’17, Kyle Schlanger ’18 and Allen Jackson ’17 followed up with three more victories, Jackson closing out singles play at no. 6 with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 triumph, putting Middlebury ahead at 6-3 as the final score.
On Friday, April 14, the previous day, the top-ranked team had kicked off its roadtrip to Maine with a 7-2 win over Colby (10-5, 2-3).
On the women’s side, the third-ranked team put up its winning streak to five in a row, sweeping Colby 9-0 on Friday, April 14, and cruising past no. 7 Bowdoin on Saturday, April 15.
“Coming off of last weekend [against Tufts and Williams], everyone was excited and confident in their playing,” said Heather Boehm ’20. “We knew that we had the ability to be a strong team this year, but we had no idea just how good we could be together.”
The team started things off at Colby by notching all three points during doubles play, the no. 1 team of Skylar Schossberger ’20 and Katherine Hughes ’20 posting an 8-0 victory. On the singles side, Boehm was a 6-0, 6-1 winner at no. 3 as the Panthers blanked their opponents.
On Saturday, Middlebury claimed all three doubles matches and only suffered one loss in singles.
“The key thing that gets us through these matches successfully is our energy,” Boehm commented. “The support we give to each other from between and off the courts gives us a huge advantage over other teams.”
Both Panther teams face two Connecticut NESCAC rivals, Trinity and Wesleyan, at home on Saturday and Sunday, April 22-23, at the courts outside of Proctor.