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(05/03/18 11:39pm)
For the first time in four seasons, the sixth-seeded men’s lacrosse team (9–7, 5–5) failed to win a game in the Nescac playoffs, when they lost to No. 6 Tufts, the No. 3 seed in the playoffs, 16–12 on Saturday, April 28, in Medford, Massachusetts. After ending last year on a high note by making an improbable run to the Nescac championship game as the sixth-seed, the 2018 season ends in disappointment for a group that looked primed to make some noise in Nescacs after winning six of its last seven regular season games.
“Obviously we were aiming higher than what we ended up doing, but this team is full of heart and tremendous character,” A.J. Kucinski ’20 said.
Middlebury lost to Tufts 13–10 one week before Saturday’s matchup, but led 7–3 early in the second half before the Jumbos scored seven unanswered goals. The Panthers learned they could compete with the Jumbos, but it would take one of their best efforts to beat the sixth-ranked team in the nation, which had lost only one game the entire season.
“Having just played a week ago, we knew what to expect, as did they,” said Kucinski.
The higher-seeded hosts dominated early on, scoring the game’s first three goals in the first seven minutes of action and taking a 6–2 lead at the end of the first quarter.
“In that first quarter, they executed quickly and built a lead,” Kucinski said. “But there was still plenty of lacrosse to be played after that.”
But the Panthers discovered how difficult it was to come from behind against the Jumbos. Every time Middlebury cut the lead to three goals, Tufts came back with a goal of their own, and after three quarter, the Jumbos still led by four, 11–7.
Tufts gradually spread the icing on the cake in the final quarter, extending its lead to as big as 15–8 before Middlebury scored four of the last five goals to make it a 16–12 final.
With seven days separating their two games, the Panthers felt they adjusted themselves to the Jumbos’ game plan effectively. As mentioned time and time throughout the season, however, the Nescac is a tight and competitive conference that can see matches going in any direction.
“It just came down to them executing a few more plays than we did,” Kucinski said. “That’s obviously a tough pill to swallow, but that does not mean we did not compete, and I’m proud to call myself a part of this group.”
With the season ending prematurely, the returning Panthers will now take the time to rest, recuperate, and think about the next season. But it’s the end of the line for Middlebury’s nine seniors, a group that included four team captains, seven regular starters, and the team’s leading scorer (Henry Riehl ’18). In their four seasons in the blue-and-white, the seniors made two NCAA tournaments and two Nescac championship games while going 43–29.
“On Saturday, I had a few opportunities to score big goals to give our team momentum, and I did not execute,” Riehl said after his last game at Middlebury. “With that being said, I gave it everything I had, and that’s all you can ask for. I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to play four years with so many amazing guys.”
The senior class of any sports team is integral to setting the tone with regard to season expectations and team culture. Although Middlebury was unable to advance past the quarterfinals this season, the seniors have helped instill a certain mentality among the underclassmen, who look forward to return next season determined to bask in success.
“We were led by a tremendous senior class who were examples on and off the field to us, and we will miss them in both regards, but they have laid a great framework for the rest of the team, and our expectations are very high for the future,” Kucinski said.
(05/03/18 5:22pm)
For the first time in four seasons, the sixth-seeded men’s lacrosse team (9–7, 5–5) failed to win a game in the Nescac playoffs, when they lost to No. 6 Tufts, the No. 3 seed in the playoffs, 16–12 on Saturday, April 28, in Medford, Massachusetts. After ending last year on a high note by making an improbable run to the Nescac championship game as the sixth-seed, the 2018 season ends in disappointment for a group that looked primed to make some noise in Nescacs after winning six of its last seven regular season games.
“Obviously we were aiming higher than what we ended up doing, but this team is full of heart and tremendous character,” A.J. Kucinski ’20 said.
Middlebury lost to Tufts 13–10 one week before Saturday’s matchup, but led 7–3 early in the second half before the Jumbos scored seven unanswered goals. The Panthers learned they could compete with the Jumbos, but it would take one of their best efforts to beat the sixth-ranked team in the nation, which had lost only one game the entire season.
“Having just played a week ago, we knew what to expect, as did they,” said Kucinski.
The higher-seeded hosts dominated early on, scoring the game’s first three goals in the first seven minutes of action and taking a 6–2 lead at the end of the first quarter.
“In that first quarter, they executed quickly and built a lead,” Kucinski said. “But there was still plenty of lacrosse to be played after that.”
But the Panthers discovered how difficult it was to come from behind against the Jumbos. Every time Middlebury cut the lead to three goals, Tufts came back with a goal of their own, and after three quarter, the Jumbos still led by four, 11–7.
Tufts gradually spread the icing on the cake in the final quarter, extending its lead to as big as 15–8 before Middlebury scored four of the last five goals to make it a 16–12 final.
With seven days separating their two games, the Panthers felt they adjusted themselves to the Jumbos’ game plan effectively. As mentioned time and time throughout the season, however, the Nescac is a tight and competitive conference that can see matches going in any direction.
“It just came down to them executing a few more plays than we did,” Kucinski said. “That’s obviously a tough pill to swallow, but that does not mean we did not compete, and I'm proud to call myself a part of this group.”
With the season ending prematurely, the returning Panthers will now take the time to rest, recuperate, and think about the next season. But it’s the end of the line for Middlebury’s nine seniors, a group that included four team captains, seven regular starters, and the team’s leading scorer (Henry Riehl ’18). In their four seasons in the blue-and-white, the seniors made two NCAA tournaments and two Nescac championship games while going 43–29.
“On Saturday, I had a few opportunities to score big goals to give our team momentum, and I did not execute,” Riehl said after his last game at Middlebury. “With that being said, I gave it everything I had, and that's all you can ask for. I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to play four years with so many amazing guys.”
The senior class of any sports team is integral to setting the tone with regard to season expectations and team culture. Although Middlebury was unable to advance past the quarterfinals this season, the seniors have helped instill a certain mentality among the underclassmen, who look forward to return next season determined to bask in success.
“We were led by a tremendous senior class who were examples on and off the field to us, and we will miss them in both regards, but they have laid a great framework for the rest of the team, and our expectations are very high for the future,” Kucinski stated.
(04/25/18 9:03pm)
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“We still have plenty to improve on, and that only excites us, as we have a huge stretch ahead to show how far we can go,” A.J. Kucinski ’20 said after Tufts snapped Middlebury’s five-game winning streak on Saturday, April 21.
Despite losing to No. 6 Tufts, who is currently in a three-way tie for first place in the Nescac, 13–10 on Saturday on Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium, the men’s lacrosse team (8–6, 4–5) feels satisfied with their performance over the past few months as the season comes to an end. Though their five-game winning streak came to an end Saturday afternoon to one of the Nescac’s top teams, the Panthers look forward to entering the postseason to try to win the elusive Nescac title.
The Tufts game was a well-contested bout with the momentum in favor of Middlebury. After a low-scoring first quarter, the Nescac foes were tied at two. Chase Goree ’20 and Jack Gould ’19 scored Middlebury’s only goals.
But then the Panthers took control of the pace of the game in the second quarter, outscoring the visitors 3–1 to take a 5–3 lead into the locker room.
“In the first half, we played with great spacing and attacked our matchups very well and played fast, which was to our advantage,” said Kucinski.
Middlebury maintained its edge on Youngman Field to start the second half, scoring two more goals to grow its lead to four.
But then, just like that, everything shifted. The Jumbos came back to score 10 unanswered goals, six in the third and four in the fourth, to take a 13–7 lead with 7:44 remaining in the game.
In the last four minutes, Henry Riehl ‘18 scored three times — his third, fourth, and fifth goals of the game, respectively — but Middlebury got no closer than three goals, suffering a 13–10 defeat.
Tufts’ 10–0 run in a little under 20 minutes proved to be decisive in Saturday’s contest. In defeat, the Panthers outshot the Jumbos 55–31, won 19 faceoffs to the visitors’ seven, and committed one fewer turnover (13–12).
But their failure to mitigate Tufts’ run and to convert their scoring opportunities cost them against an opponent that does not allow for many miscues.
“We knew they were not going to go away, and it came down to just needing to weather that storm a bit better offensively,” Kucinski said. “We could have shot the ball better and converted a few more opportunities that would have helped out the defense, who played great.”
Middlebury finished its regular season against Williams yesterday on Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium, after the newspaper went to print. Throughout the season, however, the discussion around rankings has not crossed the minds of the Panthers. They understand that the Nescac is a conference with elite competition that is bound to produce upsets and the impossible.
“There is no doubt that in the Nescac, the team that shows up on game day wanting it more will win the game,” Kucinski said. “Anybody can beat anybody in this league, and our mentality is to go out and bring it, and we know we always are in the fight.”
For evidence to the truth of Kucinski’s comment about the unpredictability of postseason conference play, one has to look no further than Middlebury’s sensational run in the playoffs last year. After beating Williams on their final day of the regular season, they went into the playoffs as heavy underdogs but made it to the championship, where they lost by one goal to Wesleyan.
“With so many returners from last year and a strong belief in each other as a whole, our goal is the same as always: win the Nescac and ride that confidence into the NCAA tournament,” Kucinski stated. “Our run last year was measured by heart, focus, and everyone doing their job, and with that experience under our belt we can prepare ourselves to take the necessary steps to come out on top.”
(04/18/18 9:00am)
“Going in with four in a row is a great start to the second half of our season,” said A.J. Kucinski ’20 last Saturday after the men’s lacrosse team knocked off Trinity 13–12 in Hartford, Connecticut.
It’s interesting that Kucinski said “second half of our season” when only three games remained. He, along with the rest of the team, is clearly unbothered by some of the results from earlier in the season. Confident and shooting for gold, the Panthers are looking forward to ending an exciting season of lacrosse on a strong note to set themselves up for the perfect playoff story.
For the first time in two years, the Middlebury men’s lacrosse team is riding a five-game win streak after picking up road wins at Springfield (6–5), Trinity (4–8), and Endicott (4–10). The Panthers inched their way across the finish line in the first two matches, beating Springfield 12–11 on a game-winning goal by Kucinski and holding off a Trinity comeback attempt to win 13–12. On Tuesday, April 17, they beat Endicott 11–9, outscoring the Gulls 4–1 in the fourth quarter to upend the hosts.
In Springfield, Massachusetts, the hosts jumped out to a 4–0 lead in the first quarter before Henry Riehl ’18 managed to reel one back for the Panthers with just under eight minutes on the clock. Springfield added a fifth before Riehl assisted Chase Gorree ’20 to bring the Panthers within three by the end of the first quarter.
But then, in the second quarter, the Panthers gained a strong hold on the game by outscoring the Pride 6–1. The foes exchanged goals early in the quarter before the Panthers rattled off five unanswered goals to take an 8–6 lead into the locker room.
After a low-scoring third quarter when each team scored one goal, the hosts regained the lead by rattling off three straight goals in the first nine minutes of the final quarter. Just as quickly as their lead disappeared, the Panthers scored twice in 36 seconds to go ahead 11–10. But once more, the Pride answered back, tying the game at 11. Then came the game-winner.
“We had a four-on-three fast break, and we mishandled the point pass,” Riehl recalled. “A.J. reacted immediately, picked up a gritty ground ball, and fired a shot high past the goalie. A.J. made a huge play picking up the ground ball and running through hard checks from a physical Springfield defense.”
And with 59 seconds remaining, the Panthers went ahead 12–11, a lead that held for a Middlebury victory.
Riehl did not mention how the game-winning play began, but Kucinski certainly did not forget that he ended up with the ball on a play that started with Chase Midgley ’19 making a save and clearing the danger with an outlet pass.
“It was just a great team play. We have a group of guys who love to compete — and compete for each other — and a great defense that has the ability to convert defense into offense,” Kucinski mentioned with regard to his game-winner. “We have complete confidence in each other and were all just playing fast.”
On Saturday, April 14, Middlebury faced off with Trinity in Hartford, Connecticut. The Bantams entered the matchup with a 1–6 record in the conference, so the Panthers needed to pick up a win against one of the weakest teams in the Nescac, where no games are easy.
Middlebury scored four goals in each of the first two quarters, taking an 8–5 lead into halftime. And in the third quarter both teams scored three times to keep the difference at three goals heading into the final quarter.
After Riehl scored his second goal of the game to give Middlebury a 12–8 lead, Trinity drove home three consecutive goals to bring themselves within one. Riehl scored his third goal to put Middlebury ahead by two, but Trinity scored with 48 seconds left and won the ensuing faceoff, giving them one shot to force overtime.
As time wound down, the Bantams entered the Middlebury zone and fired a shot. Midgley activated his clutch gene once again to provide the Panthers with a crucial save to stave off the hosts.
With 13 goals on the evening, the game against Trinity saw the Panthers produce their highest-scoring game of the season.
“I think in the Trinity game, we finally saw everything click in the first half,” Riehl said. “With that being said, I think we have more in us and will continue to improve and generate more high-quality shots.”
Even with their best scoring output of the season, the Panthers eked out the win by one goal, the third straight game they won by such a slim margin. The team has won a total of five games this season by one in comparison to last year, when they won one game by one goal. Ironically, that win was against Springfield.
“We have gained some great experience these past few games but also learned about what we need to improve to maintain our leads,” captain Nick Peterson ’18 said.
“These narrow wins are definitely good prep for playoff games,” Riehl added. “These fourth quarters prepare us to play with composure when down by a goal or tied with just a few minutes to play.”
The Panthers are now looking to wrap up their season with a possible seven-game win streak. Their final games will be against Tufts on Saturday, April 21, and Williams on Wednesday, April 25.
With their two final regular-season games at home against top-four opponents, the Panthers will look to end their season on a high note heading into the playoffs.
“Being able to play any game on Youngman Field is an honor,” Kucinski stated. “Finishing the regular season off with two straight home league games is very exciting, and we are looking forward to every challenge ahead.”
(04/11/18 8:49pm)
For the first time this season, the men’s lacrosse team (5–5, 3–4) won back-to-back games with last week’s pair of road victories over Nescac cellar-dwellers Hamilton and Colby. Their 12–6 win over Hamilton in midweek action saw the Panthers play some of their best lacrosse of the season, and their 11–10 victory in Waterville last Saturday, April 7, demonstrated the team’s grit.
“It felt good to get momentum back on our side,” said Chase Goree ’20. “Our confidence was [shaken] during that three-game skid, and now we are starting to realize the type of swagger and competitiveness it takes to compete with teams in our conference.”
The pair of conference wins puts the Panthers in position to complete in postseason play. If the season ended today, Middlebury would be the seven seed in next month’s conference tournament — they hold the edge in the standings over Bates thanks to their head-to-head victory.
Last Wednesday’s game against Hamilton is worth special consideration because the Panthers were at their best.
“The offense moved the ball quickly and played together to generate some nice looks,” said Danny Jacobs ’20. Ball movement and team offense keyed the Panthers to their largest margin of victory of the season so far.
The Panthers saw their share of upstate New York and New England in the last week, too. After the midweek game in Clinton, New York, the Panthers headed east to Waterville, Maine, to take on the Colby Mules last Saturday.
After a tightly-contested first quarter, the Panthers trailed the Mules 4–3. Nonetheless, carrying their momentum from the Hamilton game into Waterville, the Middlebury defense managed to contain the Mules’ attack. Colby scored only a single goal in the second and third quarters.
The Panthers dominated on all fronts in the second quarter, outscoring the Mules 4–1.
When Henry Riehl ’18 found the back of the net midway through the second quarter, putting the Panthers up 6–4, he also extended his goal-scoring streak to 17 straight games in the process. Although an impressive feat, it almost went unnoticed by Riehl, who credits his teammates and his drive to inspire those around him as well.
“I actually had no idea I had that goal-scoring streak,” Riehl said. “It’s pretty exciting to hear that, and I think it’s a testament to the other guys out there every game. I’m fortunate enough to play with some great passers like A.J. Kucinski ’20 that make my life pretty easy. I try to lead by example, so I hope my tenacity on offense motivates my teammates to play with that same intensity.”
Though Colby managed to score three in the final quarter, the Panthers were able to slot home three goals of their own to leave the Pine Tree State victorious.
The offense has clicked for the Panthers recently, as they demonstrated in high-scoring quarters in their past two games. Not only has the defense done a better job of shutting down opportunities for opponents to reel themselves back into games, but the Panthers have stuck to their guns and philosophies to ensure offensive efficiency.
“We preach as an offensive group to not get ‘tunnel vision’ and to ‘hit singles.’ When all six offensive players are doing their best to maintain these two principles, we are hard to stop,” Goree mentioned.
In spite of their two-game win streak and reviving their playoff hopes, the Panthers are usually unconcerned with rankings. They believe they will be a playoff-bound team that is capable of defeating anyone.
“We take it one day at a time and look to be playing our best lacrosse in the month of May,” Riehl stated. “If we approach every day with this mindset, the rest should take care of itself.”
After last night’s midweek action at Springfield, the Panthers are now three games into a stretch of five straight that they have to play on the road. With a 2–0 start, the team is looking forward to gaining wins away from home and solidifying their presence in the conference in spite of the midweek travel challenges.
“Playing away from home is difficult in general but extremely difficult in the Nescac,” Goree said. “Every opponent is capable of beating anyone, so you really have to bring it every time you step on someone else’s turf.”
Surely the Panthers are more than ready and equipped to take down any Nescac opponent. They will be in action again this Saturday, April 14, in Hartford, Connecticut, for a conference bout with Trinity (4–6, 1–5).
(04/04/18 9:00am)
For the second straight season, the men’s lacrosse team has fallen into an early hole in the Nescac with a 1–4 record in the conference. The Panthers lost all three of their games over spring break, including a 17–8 defeat at Bowdoin on Saturday, March 24, 12–7 at No. 8 Denison on Tuesday, March 27, and 18–11 at home against Amherst on Saturday, March 31.
But, tied for eighth place halfway through the Nescac schedule, Middlebury still has time to gain ground in the standings, especially with an easier schedule on the horizon. Middlebury plays Colby, who is tied with Middlebury in eighth, and Trinity, who is winless in the Nescac, in its next three conference games. The team played Trinity yesterday, on Wednesday, April 4, after this paper went to print. Thus far, Middlebury has played four of the top six Nescac teams and only one of the bottom five.
Middlebury’s recent difficult stretch of games should reap benefits in the long run by helping the team improve, as team captain Henry Riehl ’18 pointed out.
“We have a lot to work on, but we took a step in the right direction with our teamwork,” said Riehl, optimistic Middlebury could turn its season around in the second half.
On the first Saturday of spring break, March 24, the Panthers travelled to Brunswick, Maine to take on Bowdoin. The first quarter ended in a stalemate, 4–4. Panther attacker A.J. Kucinski ’20 scored a brace, and Danny Jacobs ’20 and Chase Goree ’20 added goals as well.
But the Panthers did not continue their high-volume attack, as they scored only four in the remaining three quarters. The Polar Bears managed to score a total of 11 goals during the middle quarters to put Middlebury away.
From Maine, the Panthers travelled to Granville, Ohio, to take on the Denison Big Red the next Tuesday. Similar to the Bowdoin matchup, both teams came out strong in the first quarter, and the game was tied at three after the first 15 minutes.
The Panthers managed to regain the lead after a goal from Riehl a little over a minute into the second quarter. But then the momentum shifted in favor of the Big Red.
Denison rattled off six consecutive goals to give them a 9–4 edge late in the third until Riehl answered back with his third goal of the game. Parker Lawlor ’18 found the back of the net with half a minute left in the quarter.
The Panthers cut Denison’s lead to three, 10–7, after Kucinski assisted Goree roughly five minutes into the fourth. But Denison ended any hopes of a comeback by scoring the game’s last two goals to secure a 12–7 victory.
“Denison was a great opponent. They executed their game plan very well,” said Riehl. “We struggled in the second half.”
Indeed, the Big Red have been a too great of an opponent for eight of the 10 teams they have played this season. They rank eighth nationally.
Heading back to Middlebury to host Amherst last Saturday, March 31, the Panthers hung with the Mammoths in the first half, as they were tied 8–8 at the halfway point. But the Panthers were held to just three over the final 30 minutes. Once more, they could not play with their opponents for the full 60 minutes. Amherst outscored Middlebury 10–3 in the second half to win 18–11, giving the Panthers their third straight loss overall and fourth straight in the Nescac — a frustrating end to their spring break slate.
“While the Amherst game was very frustrating, we played our most complete game,” Riehl said. “Despite the loss, we are confident about our performance against a great Amherst team, and we understand what we need to work on day in and day out.”
Even with an easier stretch coming up, the Panthers cannot afford to take any of their next matchups lightly. Not only do they need to win to earn a spot in the Nescac playoffs, but they also need to build some momentum if they want to make any noise in the playoffs.
“Every Nescac opponent presents a challenge,” Riehl affirmed. “We’ll continue to treat every opponent equally and prepare to play each Nescac team to the best of our ability.”
If selections for the NCAA tournament were made right now, Middlebury would almost certainly not be in the field. To earn an at-large bid, the Panthers will need to surge in the second half of the season. Or Middlebury can earn a spot in the field by winning the Nescac tournament. Either way, they learn from these losses to get better over their final seven regular-season games.
Despite Middlebury’s slump, DIII coaches still hold the Panthers in fairly high regard in the national landscape. In the latest USILA Coaches poll, Middlebury earned votes, placing them within the top 30 teams in the nation.
The Panthers will travel to Waterville, Maine, this Saturday, April 7, to take on the Colby Mules.
(03/21/18 10:06pm)
In its first away game against a ranked opponent, the men’s lacrosse team (2–2) lost 13–10 to the No. 8 Wesleyan Cardinals (4–1) on Saturday, March 17, in Middletown, Connecticut. After trailing 8–4 at halftime, the Panthers cut the deficit to one goal in the fourth quarter, but the Cardinals scored the last two goals of the game to give Middlebury its second loss of the season.
The first quarter seesawed, as the Panthers had an answer for every Wesleyan goal. The hosts got on the scoreboard less than three minutes into the match, which Middlebury’s A.J. Kucinski ’18 matched 33 seconds later. The Cardinals restored a one-goal lead at the 6:43 mark. Michael McCormack ’19 had the answer this time when he scored just 26 seconds later, after assisting on the first goal for Middlebury.
After a Wesleyan goal with 2:37 remaining in the first quarter, it looked like Wesleyan would take a one-goal lead into the break, but Danny Jacobs ’18 found the back of the net with just four seconds on the clock to tie the game at three.
The opponents traded goals to start the second quarter, as Henry Riehl ’18 scored an unassisted goal to bring the score to 4–4.
But Wesleyan rattled off four unanswered goals in the latter half of the second quarter to take an 8–4 lead into the locker room, doubling its scoring output from the first 22:40 in a span of 7:40.
Middlebury emerged from the locker room rejuvenated and outscored the hosts 5–2 in the third quarter to cut the lead to one goal entering the final quarter. The Panthers scored back-to-back goals within the first 2:09 of the quarter to make their first move of the half. McCormack tallied his second goal of the game, and Wes Quinzani ’18 scored his first off a feed from Riehl.
Wesleyan came back with two goals of its own to restore its four-goal lead, but Middlebury ended the quarter with a flourish, producing three goals to make the score 10–9 entering the fourth and final quarter. Riehl scored the first two goals of the run, completing his hat trick, and Chase Goree ’20 stamped his name on the scorecard with his first tally to bring Middlebury within one.
Behind by only one goal, the Panthers put themselves in position to complete their comeback and earn their first road win. Wesleyan scored first in the fourth quarter, at the 11:23 mark. Four minutes later, Frank Cosolito ’18 drove home a powerful shot from 15 yards out to cut the lead back down to one, 11–10.
After goalie Chase Midgely ’19’s save with 7:43 left, Middlebury had an opportunity to tie the game. But Jacobs hit the post, and the Wesleyan netminder saved shots from Riehl and Kucinski to keep Wesleyan in front.
Then, Wesleyan scored twice in the final four minutes to seal its 13–10 victory over Middlebury. With the win, the Cardinals stayed undefeated in the Nescac. Along with Amherst and Tufts, they are one of three unbeaten teams left in the conference. Middlebury fell to 1–2 in the Nescac and stand in a four-way tie for sixth place in the conference.
Riehl’s three goals brought his team-leading total to 10, while McCormack bolstered his team-leading points total with two goals and two assists.
After playing in only one game last season, McCormack entered his junior campaign having played in only 16 games, scoring one goal and assisting on three in his first two years. This season, he has started in all four of Middlebury’s games, scored eight goals, and assisted on five more to lead the Panthers with 13 points.
After a mid-week victory on Tuesday, March 20, over Plattsburgh, the Panthers aim to rebound in the Nescac, as they head to Brunswick, Maine, to face the Bowdoin (2–2) on Saturday, March 24, at 1 p.m. Like Middlebury, the Polar Bears are 1–2 in the conference and lost 8–6 Conn. College earlier this month. Bowdoin’s other Nescac loss came in a 16–15 shootout with Amherst, who remains unbeaten in conference play.
(03/14/18 5:43pm)
The men’s lacrosse team showed that they have depth and are capable of competing with the nation’s best last Saturday, March 10, and Monday, March 12. At the same time, there is plenty of room for growth in a season that is still young.
Although they split their two games, they played No. 20 Connecticut College closely last Saturday, ultimately falling to the Camels by a score of 8–6 on Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium but held 4–2 and 6–5 leads earlier in the game. Then, in their game on Monday, the Panthers laid it on St. Lawrence for a better part of three-quarters of an hour, leading 12–3 at the end of the third quarter, before having to hold on to barely beat the Saints 12–11.
In Saturday’s game against Conn. College, the Camels put Middlebury on its heels immediately by gaining the upper hand just 48 seconds into the first quarter. At the 9:57 mark, the hosts found an equalizer at the hands of Henry Riehl ’18. Midfielder Parker Lawlor ’18 found the back of the net with two minutes remaining in the first to give the Panthers a 2–1 advantage.
The Panthers continued to press until the very end of the quarter, scoring once more with 3.7 seconds left on the clock after the Camels committed a turnover. Michael McCormack ’19 burst into the crease and slotted the ball into the back of the net to put Middlebury ahead 3–1 at the end of the first quarter.
The visitors cut the deficit to one goal halfway into the second quarter. Then Frank Cosolito ’20 assisted a Riehl goal at the top of the crease to restore the two-goal advantage. But over the final four minutes of the first half, the Camels responded with two goals to knot the game at four going into the halfway point.
In the third quarter, Middlebury and Conn. College traded goals, before the Camels scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal with 2:20 left in the quarter. The visitors took its first lead 25 seconds into the quarter, but Alderik van der Heyde ’21 answered with his first career goal to tie the game at five. The Panthers regained the lead when A.J. Kucinski ’20 scored from the top of the crease. Kucinski’s goal was Middlebury’s last, as the Camels scored the last two goals of the quarter to take a 7–6 lead.
Conn. College scored an insurance goal with 10:34 left in the game. The Panthers had a few chances to score, ripping four shots at the end of regulation but could not find the back of the net. And Nescac foe Conn. College handed Middlebury its first loss of the young season, avenging its 8–6 loss to the Panthers last season.
Conn. College’s style and tactics proved a difficult code to crack for the Panthers of play proved. Defender Keaton Yates ’18 chimed in on the challenge the Camels posed for the Panthers.
“Their zone defense is a different look than we are used to going against,” said Yates. “It slows the game down and makes you move the ball patiently to get the looks that you want. Conn. College a is very disciplined team and works well within their system.”
After the tough loss at home, the Panthers had a one day turnaround to prep for the St. Lawrence Saints, in a game that was moved up from Tuesday, March 13, to Monday, March 12, due to the weather forecast.
Middlebury got off to a fast start against St. Lawrence — the Panthers scored six goals in the first 12 minutes, all by different players. Those who got in on the action were Lawlor, Cosolito, John Jackson ’18, Riehl, Danny Jacobs ’20 and van der Heyde. It was the first goal of the season for Jacobs, who scored 19 last year for the Panthers.
The Panthers went on to end the first half with a 7–1 advantage after Kucinski scored a goal assisted by Jacobs.
The fact that the Panthers have spread the goal-scoring around will prove to be a plus for the team going forward.
“On Monday, we had 10 different goal scorers, which is a testament to our depth and ability on the offensive end,” said Riehl, who led the team in scoring last season with 53 goals. “Each day in practice, we are becoming more comfortable as a unit and mastering our scheme a little bit better.”
A little over two minutes into the third, the Panthers held an eight-point lead following goals from Will Brossman ’21 and McCormack. The Saints responded with two rapid goals of their own, to which McCormack decided to score two additional goals to complete a hattrick for the game. Soon after McCormack’s double, Laurence Jackson ’21 was able to force a turnover and provide a goal for defender Eric Rogers ’18 with 4:53 left in the game.
The Saints answered back with a man-up goal and would hold the Panthers goalless in the fourth quarter. They were able to score seven goals in the final quarter but were unable to cap off their almost miraculous comeback.
Lapses on the defensive end and St. Lawrence’s sudden revival in the fourth put the Panthers into a corner during the final quarter.
“During that quarter there was a collective lapse in communication and some sloppy play on our defensive end,” said Yates. “We started to turn the ball over in the clear and allowed them to convert on possessions they had after those turnovers, which let them gain some momentum.”
Fortunately, the Panthers were able to salvage a win and will now prep for their first away game of the season for a Nescac bout against No. 9 Wesleyan.
“Wesleyan is a very good team and a challenging competitor every year,” Yates said, “but we are going to prepare for them like we would for any other Nescac game by making sure we are working hard and taking steps forward everyday in practice. It’s going to be important that on Saturday we win the ground ball battle and limit the time spent in the penalty box.”
The Panthers will head to Middletown, Connecticut, on Saturday, March 17, where the action against the Cardinals is set to start at 2 p.m.
(03/08/18 12:26am)
The men’s lacrosse team (1–0, 1–0) kicked off their season in successful fashion, sealing a narrow win over No. 14 Bates (0–1, 0–1), 11–10, last Saturday, March 3, at Middlebury’s Youngman Field. This extended the Panthers’ streak of winning their season opener to three years in a row.
Bates was aggressive from the outset and even jumped out to an early 2–0 lead a few minutes into the game. With a bit of patience, the Panthers notched their first goal of the season courtesy of Henry Riehl ’18, who managed to cut down the middle of Bates’s defense before sending the ball past the keeper. Following six minutes of solid defense from both the Panthers and the Bobcats, Middlebury trailed 2–1 when the horn sounded to end the first quarter.
To open the second quarter, A.J. Kucinski ’20 showed a brilliant display of individual skill as he spun away from a defender to set himself up for an easy shot directly in front of the goal. The keeper had no chance. Frank Cosolito ’20 followed up Kucinski’s goal just a few minutes later with a shot that erased any concern raised by the early 2–0 hole the Panthers were in, as his goal with 8:27 left to play in the second quarter gave the Panthers a 3–2 lead.
Bates immediately charged towards Middlebury’s goal on the ensuing possession, but a stop at the 7:53 mark by goalie Charles Midgley ’19 diffused any chance of the Bobcats netting a potential equalizer.
Midway through the second quarter, Wes Quinzani ’18 fought hard to recover a scramble at midfield. The Panthers pushed their offensive line up and were able to find a goal through Michael McCormack ‘19, scoring off a second-chance opportunity. Bates responded with a goal of their own just 20 seconds later and finished the quarter with two additional goals to lead 5–4 at the half.
Coming out of halftime, Riehl scored early in the third quarter to momentarily give the Panthers a 6–5 lead, but Bates quickly moved to tie the game at six. Then, a short three minutes later, Kucinski and Riehl combined once again for another Panther goal. This time, Kucinski delivered a great ball to Riehl, who found the back of the net for his fourth goal of the game. John Jackson ’18 was able to set in motion an additional goal for the Panthers, as he fed a ball to newcomer Will Brossman ’21 — playing in his first collegiate game — who managed to bully off a defender for a clean shot on goal.
Before time expired in the third quarter, though, Bates showed why they are a perennially ranked team, as Matt Chlastawa found the back of the net on an unassisted goal, making the score 9–8 heading into the final 15 minutes.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the visitors’ bench started to turn up the volume in hopes of securing their first win of the season on the road. The bench went silent when McCormack managed to convert a well-placed rising shot into the top corner to give the Panthers a 10–8 lead 17 seconds into the fourth quarter. And that was not all. Momentum had clearly swung to the Panthers’ side when, two minutes later, Chase Goree ’20 added his name to the scoresheet with a patient play for the Panthers.
The next 10 minutes were scoreless until Bates secured a goal from a diving effort with three and a half minutes to play. Though the Bobcats were able to secure a late goal with 34 seconds on the clock to cut the lead down to one, their comeback fell short, as the Panthers won the ball in the ensuing face-off and ran down the clock.
Riehl led the Panthers in scoring with four goals, while McCormack had a brace with goals and assists. Midgley managed to stop 16 attempts successfully, just one more than the Bates keeper. This one additional save very well could have been the decisive factor in this Panthers win.
Overall, the Panthers were satisfied with their performance, particularly on the defensive end according to midfielder Parker Lawlor’18.
“One key takeaway was that our defense didn’t give up easy crease goals and our freshmen stepped up,” Lawlor commented.
The Panthers will be back in action on Saturday, March 10, when they host Connecticut College in a conference bout on Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium at 1 p.m. After their first victory, the Panthers don’t seem to be slowing down and are already preparing for the new challenge that Connecticut poses.
“Connecticut traditionally plays a zone so that is something we are preparing for this week compared to bates who played mostly man,” Lawlor mentioned.
Middlebury will have their third straight home game on Tuesday, March 13, when the Panthers welcome St. Lawrence at 4 p.m. that afternoon.
(02/28/18 11:53pm)
In 2016, the Middlebury men’s lacrosse team lost to Tufts in the Nescac championship game by a score of 20–14, finishing their season with a 12–7 record. In 2017, the Panthers finished sixth in the Nescac in the regular season, but made a run to the finals in the playoffs. In what would have been an unlikely story, the Panthers ultimately fell short to Wesleyan 9–8 in the Nescac championship game.
With the past two seasons in the back of the returning Panthers’ minds, they aim to finally get over the hump and win the conference title for the first time since 2007, the end of Middlebury’s stretch of dominance in Nescac men’s lacrosse when they won the conference title eight straight years.
As one of the team captains, Nick Peterson ’18, points out, a Nescac championship is the team’s long-term goal. There are many small steps the Panthers need to take in order to have a chance at their larger goals.
“We always enter each season with the mindset of one game at a time and try not to look too far ahead,” Peterson said. “That being said, we want to win the Nescac championship before anything else. In order to compete for a National Championship, we first need to win our league and enter the month of May playing our best lacrosse. Our expectations are to approach each practice and game with the same mentality day in and day out.”
In the Nescac playoffs last season, Middlebury upset third-seeded Amherst 12–11 and previously undefeated and top-seeded Bates 14–13 to reach the Nescac finals, where its season ended with a 9–8 loss to Wesleyan.
Still, the Panthers were playing their best lacrosse at the end of the season.
“I think the reason our season ended on a strong note with our run to the finals was because we so enjoyed being together as a team, and did not want our time with each other to end,” Parker Lawlor ’18 said. “We played like we had nothing to lose.”
If the Panthers want to challenge for the Nescac title this spring, a good place to start is repeating what they were doing at the end of last season.
They will be without six of last season’s starters due to graduation, but the Panthers still return a wealth of experience, including their top-five point-getters from last season.
“It’s always hard to replace any senior class, but we feel that we have a great group of returning players who can step into the roles that we lost to graduation,” Peterson said. “The biggest position we lost last year was our long stick middies, but we have a few younger guys who have worked hard in the offseason and the preseason to step into this spot and be productive for our team.”
A.J. Kucinski ’20 scored 38 goals and 36 assists to lead the team in points, and Henry Riehl ’18 led the team in goals with 53. Lawlor and Danny Jacobs ’20 both added 29 points.
Returning on defense are Eric Rogers ’18, who started 13 games, and Clay Hunt ’19, who started in 11. Chase Midgley ’19 started in 11 games in goal last season, and saved 55.4 percent of shots in net.
Leading the team will be seniors, Peterson, Lawlor, Riehl, Rogers, Wes Quinzani ’18, Henry Giarrusso ’18, John Jackson ’18, Stephen Clarke ’18 and Kenan Yates ’18.
Lawlor is convinced that his fellow classmates have done an excellent job in creating a welcoming and encouraging environment for all of the team’s players.
“I think that, as a senior class this year, we have focused on building strong relationships and building a culture in which everyone is valued, no matter their role on the team,” Lawlor said. “I feel confident saying that this is the tightest team I have played on in my four years here.”
The tight-knit community Lawlor describes will be crucial with the addition of 14 first-year players, who will be eager to contribute to the team.
After last season’s successes, including its win over previously undefeated Bates, and failures, its loss to ninth-place Colby, for example, Middlebury knows its season can take a lot of different routes.
“We can beat anyone,” Lawlor said.
But, as last season demonstrated, beating one good team does not make a season. As Peterson and Parker pointed out, the Panthers need to treat every moment on the lacrosse field as if it is their last, if they want to achieve their lofty goals.
The men’s lacrosse team’s first game is this Saturday, March 3, at 1 p.m, when the Panthers will host No. 14 Bates, a rematch of last year’s Nescac semifinals.
(02/22/18 2:32am)
In an exciting and tightly contested bout, the Wesleyan Cardinals (17–7) managed to escape Pepin Gym last Saturday, Feb. 17, with a 63–62 win over the women’s basketball team (17–8) in the Nescac quarterfinals.
Middlebury and Wesleyan met earlier in the season on Jan. 6, in what also was a home game for the Panthers. The Panthers comfortably won the regular season matchup by a 17 point margin, with guard Lily Kuntz ’20 scoring a career-high 13 points.
Both teams traded blows out of the gate, and Middlebury trailed 6–5 about halfway through the first quarter. Then things changed thanks to the Cardinals getting hot behind the arc. Wesleyan put together a 15–2 run over the span of five minutes run by sinking four out of their six three-point attempts in the quarter. A Betsy Knox ’20 jumper late in the quarter stopped the bleeding, but the Panthers still trailed by a dozen heading into the second.
Facing a 14-point deficit after the Cawrdinals opened the second quarter by hitting a jumper, the Panthers began a spirited effort that would last the rest of the game.
Middlebury began to cut the deficit with fluid ball movement, which began paying off almost immediately as they found easy buckets inside the paint. Catherine Harrison ’20 was able to have her way in down in the post for a majority of the quarter, and a basket from Sabrina Weeks ’18 cut Wesleyan’s lead to just six, 32–26. Over the final two and a half minutes, both teams went on small spurts, but a Knox buzzer-beater allowed the Panthers to have the last laugh and made the halftime deficit a manageable six.
Heading into the third down 36–30, the Panthers’ comeback hopes seemed even more realistic as Maya Davis ’20 almost immediately made a basket to bring the lead down to four.
However, the momentum then shifted in favor of the Cardinals who went on another run, 10–0. But, the Panthers responded this time with a 10–3 run of their own over the remaining minutes of the third which was capped by an Ivy Houde ’19 jumper to cut Wesleyan’s lead to 49–42.
With the crowd on their feet anticipating a comeback, the Cardinals silenced the crowd by playing hard defense. With just under six minutes and the deficit up to a dozen again, 56–44, Middlebury’s urgency caused them to run rampant over a span of three minutes that saw the Panthers go on an 11–0 run and which brought them within a point of the Cardinals.
With about ninety seconds remaining, the Cardinals secured a three and a pair of free-throws and found themselves up 61–55 with 35 seconds remaining on the clock.
On the next possession, Kira Waldman ’20 dribbled the ball up court and hit a step-back jumper from beyond the arc to cut the lead down to three with roughly 27 seconds in the game. Middlebury fouled to extend the game, and Wesleyan made one of two free throws.
With 13 seconds left, the Cardinals fouled Davis who sank two free throws to bring the Panthers within two. Once again, Middlebury fouled and Wesleyan made one of two free throws to make the score 63–60.
In quick succession, Sarah Kaufman ’18 managed to draw a foul on a shot attempt from downtown to be sent to the line for three free throws. After missing the first, she converted the next two and Middlebury was forced to foul with just 2 seconds left on the clock. The Cardinals missed both free throws, but time expired as both teams scrambled for the rebound.
Waldman led the Panthers in scoring with 14 points. The Panthers concluded their season with a 17–8 record, which matches their record from last season. The Panthers were engaged in a hard-fought battle that almost ended in an emphatic comeback. The near-comeback would have been all the more epic given the packed and raucous stands at an energetic Pepin Gym.
(01/24/18 9:33pm)
The Women’s basketball team managed to recover from their back-to-back losses against Bates and Tufts last week by beating Williams in Massachusetts on Jan. 20, 57–54. On Monday Jan. 22, when they hosted Smith in a non-conference bout, the Panthers suffered their first home loss of the season, losing 60–45.
Middlebury looked to dominate the Ephs last Saturday evening when they confined Williams to just one point at the 5:40 mark of the opening quarter. With less than three minutes to play, the Panthers found nine of the final 12 points coming from guard Kira Waldman ’20, who scored three from beyond the arc.
With Middlebury leading 25–11, Williams responded by making the second quarter a more tightly contested matchup. After seven and a half minutes of buckets being exchanged by both teams, Williams closed out the second quarter with a 9–2 run, outscoring the Panthers 16–8.
The Panthers built on the half-dozen-point lead, 33–27, that they took into halftime straight away in the second half as they opened with a 6–0 run that saw a pair of free throws converted by forward Maya Davis ’20. As the Ephs answered back with a 6–0 spurt of their own, the Panthers defense allowed them to tack on some additional points in the last two and a half minutes of play. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Panthers comfortably led 48–35.
The game seemed to be tucked away as the Panthers found a three from Sarah Kaufman ’20 less than a minute into the final quarter. However, the remainder of the quarter was dominated by Williams as they went on a 14–4 run and only trailed 55–51 with 90 seconds on the clock. When Amanni Fernandez of Williams drilled a three with 20 seconds left, the Panthers’ lead was down to just two points, 56–54. In the final four seconds, Williams was unable to find the bottom of the net from downtown, allowing the Panthers to narrowly escape with a victory.
Davis had a team high 12 points and game high eight rebounds while Waldman scored 11 off the bench for the Panthers, which included sinking three of the five shots she took from beyond the arc.
On Monday, the Panthers hosted Smith and got off to a shaky start. The first half of the first quarter saw Smith score seven unanswered points. As the clock approached the four minute mark, the Panthers managed to cut the lead down 7–6. However, the Panthers were unable to contain the swarming Pioneers who went on a 10–2 run to end the first quarter with a 17–8 lead.
Finding themselves down 22–10 in the second quarter, the Panthers went on an 8–2 run. Five of the eight were scored by guard Sabrina Weeks ’18, who finished with a team high 13 points. With the deficit then down to four points, 24–20, Smith scored five of the half’s final points to lead 33–24 heading into halftime. Both teams scored 16 in the second quarter.
Smith seemed to slow down when they came out for the third quarter thanks to some Middlebury halftime adjustments. The Panthers managed to hold Smith to just seven points as they ended the final the 90 seconds of the third with a 6–0 run. Behind threes from Weeks and Davis, the Panthers refused to go away and headed into the final quarter down 40–36.
The Panthers looked to even the score or take the lead when Davis converted a layup immediately into the final quarter. With the lead cut to two, the Pioneers chipped away at the Panthers, outscoring them 14–3 over the next six and a half minutes. With less than three minutes left, Middlebury trailed 54–41. Down 13, the Panthers did not have enough time to get back into it, and fell at home for the first time this season.
A short stint of quick turnarounds this past week-plus has tested the Panthers’ endurance. After suffering their first home loss, they still boast an impressive 13–5 overall record while being 3–2 in conference play.
The Panthers return to action in Pepin for a game in Nescac play as they will host Trinity this Sunday, Jan. 28, at 2 p.m.
(01/17/18 9:55pm)
In two games away on the road, Middlebury suffered its first Nescac loss of the season Friday, Jan. 12, to Bates by a narrow margin of 60–57. The Panthers were unable to bounce back from the loss as they also fell to Tufts Jumbos 61–45 the next day, Saturday, Jan. 13.
With just a one-point lead at the end of the first, Middlebury and Bates were exchanging well. Neither team secured a lead larger than three. The two teams went on to continue the back-and-forth with Middlebury holding a 28–26 lead after the first half.
Within the first minute of the third quarter, Bates was able to gain a 31–28 lead with baskets coming from Melanie Binkhorst, and a three-pointer by Emily Fredland. The Panthers fought back, managing to lead twice, but were unable to maintain a comfortable lead trailing 44–40 heading into the fourth.
With the score at 49–44 three minutes into the final quarter, the Panthers rallied a 5–0 run with Sarah Kauffman ’18 scoring a layup. Bates responded with a run of their own, breaking the deadlock and eventually gaining a 57–51 lead with around a minute remaining. Forward Betsy Knox ’20 managed to convert a three-point play with 37 seconds on the clock to cut the Bobcats’ lead to three. Bates managed to get a quick three-pointer to extend their lead to 6 down the stretch, to which Kaufman responded with a three-pointer of her own.
Kauffman led the Panthers in scoring with 15 and forward Maya Davis ‘20 had a game-high eight rebounds. The Panthers seemed to have done everything right, having fewer turnovers, out rebounding the Bobcats 33–30, and the bench pouring in a 15-point performance compared to Bates’ six.
In its second game, Middlebury were down eight to Tufts 14–6 after the first quarter. A 10–2 run halfway into the second quarter enabled the Panthers to be within two with 3:27 before the half. Knox led the way during the run with six points before Tufts grabbed a bucket to solidify a 25–21 lead entering the second half.
Roughly three minutes into the third quarter, Davis pulled off a three-point play to give the Panthers a 27–25 advantage. Just as the Panthers were going to close in on the lead, the Jumbos ran rampant with a 16–2 run for the next five minutes. With the score at 41–29, Middlebury scored eight of the next 13 to make the score 46-37. Sabrina Weeks ’18 scored four during the 8–5 exchange.
The Jumbos went on a 7–0 run midway into the final quarter to give themselves a comfortable lead of 56–39 with just over three minutes to play. After a few more exchanges, Tufts secured a solid victory over the Panthers, 61–45.
Knox led the Panthers in three statistical categories with 12 points, six rebounds, and two assists.
Middlebury will take on Williams on Saturday, Jan. 20, in Massachusetts before returning home Monday Jan. 22, to host Smith College.
(12/07/17 12:19am)
The women’s basketball team (7–0) defeated Rensselaer (5–3) on Thursday, Nov. 30, 64–54 and Colby-Sawyer (4–1) the next night in overtime by a score of 66–59. On Tuesday, Dec. 5, Middlebury beat Plattsburgh St. 60–33 to move to 7–0, its best start since the 2001-2002 season when the Panthers won their first nine games.
Thursday’s night opener was a special one, as the Panthers’ first home game of the season. The Engineers were firing on all cylinders in the first quarter, taking a 9–2 lead within the first five minutes. The Panthers quickly adjusted their defense and were able to find an offensive spark from Betsy Knox ’20, who finished the quarter with eight points on three of three shooting.
At the start of the second quarter, it was clear that the Panthers were dictating the tempo, finding stops on the defensive end and continuously feeding the ball to Knox, who continued her scoring streak. Unselfish plays by guard Alex Huffman ’19 and Sarah Kaufman ’18 set Knox up to convert three consecutive layups. The Panthers ended the first half with a comfortable six point lead, 29–23, over the Engineers, while Knox finished the half with 17 points.
The halftime talk in their locker room lifted the spirits of the Engineers as they looked more tenacious on the defensive end at the beginning of the second half. The Panthers were a bit overwhelmed as they struggled to space the floor and scored only six points in the third. Rensselaer ended the quarter on a 6–0 run, gaining their first lead since the start of the first quarter. Jumpers from Sabrina Weeks ’18 and free-throws by Maya Davis ’20 kept the score tight. Going into the fourth quarter, Rensselaer led 36–35.
The fourth quarter was huge for the Panthers as they outscored the Engineers by 11, including three consecutive three-pointers — one by Huffman and two by Weeks. A 16–5 run ensued for Middlebury, and the Engineers had no choice but to force the Panthers to line. The Panthers converted nine of their ten free throw attempts in the fourth, securing a comfortable 64–54 win in their first home game. Knox finished with a game high 23 points and Huffman tallied all 13 of her points in the fourth quarter.
Back on the road the next day, the Panthers travelled east to New Hampshire to take on the Chargers of Colby-Sawyer. The Chargers finished the first quarter with a 7–2 run to take an 18–10 advantage. Within the first few minutes of the second, Colby-Sawyer established the game’s biggest lead by either side at 13, with a 25–12 lead. Then the comeback began, spurred purely by Middlebury’s offensive tenacity as the Panthers went on a 15-4 run to cut the lead to 29–27 at the halfway point.
The third quarter saw a flurry of exchanges from both sides with neither side gaining a lead larger than four points. Entering the fourth quarter with a narrow 44-42 point advantage, Davis hit a three and Kaufman nailed a jump shot to give the Panthers a seven point lead. After a few scoreless possessions with the score tied at 54, Davis gave the Panthers a two-point lead with a layup with less than a minute remaining. The Panthers forced up a three-pointer with less than 20 seconds on the clock. The Chargers rebounded the basketball and managed to push it up the court, where Tianna Sugars hit a game-tying jumper with just .9 seconds on the clock. With Middlebury unable to find a shot off the inbounds pass, the bout was scored in overtime.
The Panthers went on to dominate the overtime period, outscoring the Chargers 10–3. Knox opened the scoring with a 3-pointer and Huffman provided another from downtown later in the period. The threes, along with some free throws, iced the game for the Panthers, who took home a 66–59 win.
Davis had a career-high in both points and rebounds with 14 in each statistical category. Her aggressiveness on the boarsd with nine offensive rebounds helped Middlebury outscore Colby-Sawyer on second point chances 15-8. The eight additional rebounds over the opposition proved to be crucial in Friday’s win.
On Tuesday night, Middlebury squashed Plattsburgh State at home 60–33. In the second and third quarters, the Panthers outscored the Cardinals 40–14. Davis led the way with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Emily Wander ’21 and Kira Waldman ’20 both scored seven off the bench. The Panther defense held the Cardinals below 22 percent shooting from the field.
Middlebury returns to the court tonight when it hosts Sage at 7 p.m. Then, the Panthers will travel to Skidmore tomorrow night, Friday, Dec. 8, to play the Thoroughbreds in their final game before final exams.
(11/16/17 12:10am)
The women’s basketball team has high hopes for their new season that will tip-off in two days on Saturday, Nov. 18, when they will take part in the Emerson Tip-Off Classic. Expectations are high, especially because the Panthers return last year’s cohort that finished 17–8, good enough to earn a home game in the Nescac Tournament.
Perhaps the most impressive part of last season’s overall success is that the team did not have a senior on the roster. Now, with everyone from last year’s squad back, the addition of a pair of first-year guards, Kirsten Long ’21 and Emily Wander ’21, and the return of Eileen Daley ’18, the prospects for the 2017–18 edition of the Panthers are exciting.
“We’re going to be a much deeper team than we have been,” Krasco said. “I think this is the biggest it’s been since I’ve been here.”
The roster size, now at 15, is in fact Krasco’s deepest. It is probably the deepest team the Panthers have had in recent memory. This will have many advantages as the season progresses. For now though, fourth-year head coach K.J. Krasco is excited about the enthusiasm and promise her team has displayed in practice.
“We have no weak links and I firmly believe we have all the players to have a positive outcome,” Krasco said. She, along with the rest of the coaching staff, hope to strengthen the hunger and ambition of this year’s team.
Senior captain Rachel Collins ’18 and junior captain Catherine Harrison ’19 are determined to get the season off to a strong start. Since returning to campus in the fall, they have led offseason training by organizing pickup games and getting themselves and their teammates involved in lifting programs. This is just the tip of the iceberg of the behind-the-scenes steps the Panthers have taken to improve this offseason. The team feels that they collectively enter the season in peak physical condition, which has allowed Krasco to implement the team’s strategies on both ends of the floor, and to focus on perfecting fundamentals and technical aspects of the game.
“Our practices have definitely been more competitive,” Krasco said, hinting at how her team is ready to get the season underway.
Harrison will look to pick up where she left off last season in which she almost averaged a double-double with 9.6 points and 8.4 rebounds-per-game. Equally important to this season’s success will be the development of the team’s five sophomores Maya Davis ’20, Betsy Knox ’20, Kira Waldman ’20, Vanessa Young ’20 and Lily Kuntz ’20. They will be of vital assistance for Harrison as they will add depth in the four and five positions. The quintet of sophomores have high expectations and their coaches and teammates will be counting on them to contribute.
“We expect a lot out of them and I think they are going to prove themselves from the get go,” Coach Krasco said.
The Panthers hope to limit turnovers and to crash the boards harder despite their relative size disadvantage. Last season, most of their losses could be directly attributed to being out-played in the paint and to turnovers. No one is hiding from last season’s pitfalls though. The team and the coaching staff have taken all of this to task head-on in practice.
Krasco cited weaknesses in rebounding last season to a lack of experience on the roster. Without senior leadership and with five first-years, Middlebury faced a steep learning curve. Now, they are ready to come out firing on all cylinders and look forward to positioning themselves to compete on the glass and win more second-chance opportunities.
If it was not already apparent, practice has become a focal point in the offseason and it will continue to be so throughout the season. The team and coaching staff are looking to make the most out of every practice and to understand the mindset that the next game is more important than their last. Maintaining a game-to-game approach and an even keel is something the Panthers believe can help keep them mentally in check as the year progresses.
“We had a couple early slip-ups against teams I feel we should’ve competed better against,” Krasco said of last year’s campaign. “We want to focus on the process and understand we have to do the little things very well.”
The Panthers are excited and determined. While they are taking a game-to-game approach, they did admit that they are looking to make a deeper run in the conference tournament. Still, they do not want to get too far ahead of themselves with the understanding that each game plays a crucial part in the team’s ability to reach its goals.
The Panthers tip-off on Saturday at 1 p.m. against Emerson for their first of two games in the Emerson Tip-Off and will wrap up the weekend against Mt. St. Mary’s with a 1 p.m. Sunday tip. You can catch the Panthers in their first home action after Thanksgiving, when the Panthers take on Rensselaer on Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 6 p.m.