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(03/14/18 5:47pm)
Last week, the Middlebury Alpine and Nordic ski teams flew across the country to compete in the NCAA Championships in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Caroline Bartlett ’19 and Erik Arvidsson ’21 added exclamation points to Middlebury’s trip out west, earning All-American honors by placing fourth in the giant slalom and slalom, respectively. The team placed eighth overall in a 23-team field, third among eastern schools.
On day one of the Alpine races the Panther women placed fourth in the giant slalom, led by Bartlett. Her first run time of 53.85 was the fastest of the day among all competitors, while her two-run total of 1:53.37 earned her fourth place, good enough to place her on the All-American First Team. Lexi Calcagni ’19 placed 17th out of 34 with a total time of 1:55.23 while teammate Lucia Bailey ’21 capped off her rookie year in the top 20 (20th – 1:55.99).
An All-American nod is an achievement for any athlete, and that did not escape Bartlett. “It feels great to be an All-American and accomplish a goal that I set in freshman year,” said Bartlett, after returning to campus. “I’m proud of where I am and super grateful for my teammates who keep me smiling through it all!”
The men sent two Alpine competitors to Colorado, Riley Plant ’18 and Arvidsson. Plant was 17th after the first run but hit a bump on the course that prevented him, and four other racers, from finishing his second run. Arvidsson, however, completed both legs and placed 11th (1:50.48), making up eight spots after his first run.
The next day the Nordic teams began their racing, starting with the men’s 10K and women’s 5K Classic races. With the races taking place in Colorado, eastern schools such as Middlebury, Williams, and Bates are at a disadvantage due to the altitude.
“NCAAs were at 6000 feet where there is way less oxygen,” said Adam Luban ’18. “It’s a totally different style of skiing and a big challenge to adjust to it, particularly this late in the season. We went out a week early to acclimatize and get used to the slower style of racing out there.”
The women placed all three of their racers in the top 23 (out of 40 racers) with Alexandra Lawson ’21 pacing the group with a time of 16:26.5, good for 18th place (fourth among eastern racers). Just behind her was Katie Feldman ’18 with a time of 16:27 to finish in 19th. Cate Brams ’18 came in 23rd place with a time of 16:34.7.
Sam Wood ’19 was the first Panther on the men’s side to cross the line during the 10K Classic, placing 16th with a time of 29:05.9. Luban ended in 18th (29.15.1), and Peter Wolter ’21 placed 24th (29:37.2). The competition was very stiff, with five of the top-six scoring teams being western schools.
It was in the slalom event on Friday that Arvidsson earned his All-American bid, finding his way to the honor with a time of 1:21.75 and a fourth-place finish. Plant ended his career with a 25th-place finish after a time of 1:26.58. The women did not have as good luck as the first day, as Calcagni was the only racer to complete both runs (25th, 1:25.77).
To cap off their season at nationals, the men’s Nordic team competed the 20K Freestyle, where Luban and Wood flip-flopped positions this time. The former completed the course in 55:28.1 (15th), while the latter finished in 55:29.4 (16th) with Wolter coming in 25th (56:47.6). Among eastern skiers, Luban and Wood finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
Head coach of the nordic team, Andrew Johnson, was proud of what his team accomplished this season.
“We achieved many of our goals including qualifying a full nordic team for NCAA’s for the first time since 2006,” Johnson said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the way [the team] worked together and pushed each other throughout the fall and winter. Our captains – among others – did a fabulous job of helping build a very team-centric environment in a sport where that’s not always the easiest thing to do.”
As Luban’s career concludes, he looks back with fond memories. “It’s been a hell of a ride I am incredibly proud of the team. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world that I got to ski here for five years.”
The women’s 15K Freestyle saw a strong performance from Feldman (13th place, 45:58.2), who placed third among eastern racers. Brams and Lawson also placed in the top 30, finishing in 26th and 29th, respectively. The team finished second among eastern schools, behind only Dartmouth.
Just like Luban, Brams will miss skiing for Middlebury. “I know this is cliché but this team is my family – they’ve picked me up at my lowest, and they’ve pushed me to be better when I’ve been at my best. I just hope I’ve been able to give the same to them.
“It’s been a wild ride, and as stoked as I am to be graduating, I’ll miss the grind with this crew.”
With the end of the season comes retirement for not just Plant, Luban, Brams, and Feldman, but also Jacob Volz ’18 and Evan Weinman ’18 from the Nordic team and Davon Cardamone ’18 and Jack Schibli ’18 from the Alpine squad. The team will surely miss all eight of its seniors.
Plant will remember nothing but the best from his experience on the Middlebury Ski Team, but not necessarily for time on the mountain.
“Skiing for Middlebury has been everything I wanted from a college ski racing experience. The best memories I will carry from these four years will have little to do with actual ski racing, but more to do with the great personalities I got to spend so much time with in crazy storms, crammed van rides, and the cabin basement.”
(02/28/18 11:57pm)
Winter Carnival means different things to different people. To most of the school it means no class on Friday, starting early Saturday morning to climb (and somehow get back down) the Snow Bowl later that day. To the Alpine and Nordic teams, it marks their only home carnival of the year, when they race in front of all their friends, family and alumni.
Last weekend, Feb. 23 and 24, the Ski team finished third, with some scintillating personal performances, highlighted by Caroline Bartlett ’19 winning the Giant Slalom event outright. It was her fourth career victory in the race.
On the first day of the carnival, both the men’s and women’s teams achieved third-place finishes in the slalom event. Taking part in his first winter carnival, Erik Arvidsson ’21 led the way for the men’s side, finishing in third place (two-run time of 1:34.63). In his last home carnival, Riley Plant ’18 was the next to cross the line (14th – 1:36.67) with Max Stamler ’19 and Angie Duke ’19 not far behind (18th and 20th, respectively).
On the slalom, Bartlett was the first Panther finisher, crossing the line with a time of 1:39.38, good for ninth. Lucia Bailey ’21 finished 14th (1:40.42) with Madison Lord ’21 finished just .02 seconds behind. Rounding out the top-20 was Katie Utter ’20 at 19 (1:40.88).
On the Nordic side, Lewis Nottonson ’19 described our home trail: “It’s a 5km loop starting and finishing in the field at Breadloaf campus. The loop is shaped somewhat like a 3-leafed clover each with its own climb and downhill. The first leaf being the smallest climb, the middle-leaf a steep climb to the highest point on the course and then down a series of S turns and the final leaf a long gradual climb and gradual downhill back to the stadium area, with a short quick uphill right before the finish.”
In the men’s 10K Classic, Middlebury placed six skiers in the top 20, good for second place in the event. Leading the way with a career-best fourth-place finish was Jacob Volz ’18 (24:39.5). Behind him was Peter Wolter ’21 (ninth place, 24:56.5). Also in the top-20 was Nottonson (15th), Adam Luban ’18 (16th), Evan Weinman ’18 (18th), and Sam Wood ’19 (20th).
On her home snow, Cate Brams ’18 was the fastest Panther woman in the 5K Classic, earning a fifth-place finish with a time of 14:04.8. Katie Feldman ’18 also cracked the top 10, placing 10th with a time of 14:30.8. The next two Middlebury scorers were Alexandra Lawson ’21 in 13th place and Annika Landis ’20 was next in 14th.
The second day of the competition brought not only a raucous crowd but an outright Panther victory.
Bartlett used the home mountain advantage to cruise through the giant slalom, earning a time (2:06.71) that was more than two seconds faster than her second-place opponent. The victory was not as easy as it appeared, however.
“Behind the scenes, I was battling some pretty big nerves right before my second run, but Hig Roberts ’14 skied up to me and said exactly what I needed to hear; he reminded me to ski inspired and that’s what I tried to do,” Bartlett said. However, “getting back on top of the podium was gratifying, emotional, and just a lot of fun…There’s nothing like winning at home.”
Lexi Calcagni ’19 posted a career-best fourth-place finish (2:08.98) that qualified her for NCAAs, just a quarter of a second off the podium, due to her “comfort on Allen” (the race hill). Bailey (12th) and Utter (18th) also finished in the top-20. These performances gave the women’s team a second-place finish in the giant slalom.
For the men’s side, Arvidsson completed his first carnival with a strong third-place showing (2:04.45), with Plant the next finisher (10th – 2:05.35). Duke was right on his tail, however, finishing just a hundredth of a second behind Plant. Devon Cardamone ’18 (16th) and Jack Schibli ’18 (19th) also finished their final carnival.
Brams once again led the squad, this time in the 15K Nordic Freestyle, finishing in fifth with a time of 40:15.6. Feldman was just behind in sixth (40:21.2). Landis and Lawson (16th and 20th) also scored Panther points.
Luban led the men in the 20K Nordic freestyle event, crossing the line in 46:31.1 (fifth place). Wood also made an appearance in the top-10 with a time of 46:46.3, with Nottonson (12th) and Wolter (18th) also in the top-20.
Calcagni was excited to see how many people came out to enjoy the events and support the Panthers.
“This year I think was the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen! From the start, you could hear the roar of students at the roost as skiers went by,” Calcagni said. “I am so proud to be a Panther on days like Saturday.”
Calcagni will return next year, but for Plant, Brams and the other seniors, this carnival was their last.
“It definitely was an emotional weekend,” said Brams.
Plant concurred: “It was definitely a pretty emotional day for the Seniors, but we’ve had a great run and the sport has given us a lot to be thankful for.”
But the emotions didn’t stop when the last skier finished their race.
“Afterwards, the entire race sent it down the Allen (with a lot of clothes missing) in memory of Murphy Roberts, a tradition that exemplifies how special the Middlebury skiing family is,” Bartlett said.
Several Panthers will head to NCAAs next week in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Roberts’ hometown.
(02/22/18 2:33am)
To cap off syllabus week, the Middlebury nordic and alpine ski teams competed in the Williams Carnival. After Friday and Saturday, Feb. 16 and 17, Middlebury finished in third place as a combined team.
The men’s nordic team opened the competition in a strong way, finishing first in the 10K Classic event. Sam Wood ’19 highlighted the day with his first career victory, leading the entire pack and finishing in 29:45.4. Just two seconds behind him at 29:47.1 was Lewis Nottonson ’19 with a career-best finish of his own (second place). Rounding out the top-ten for the Panthers were Adam Luban ’18 (eighth place – 30:18.4) and Peter Wolter ’21 (tenth place – 30:26.9). Jacob Volz ’18 also contributed a fine effort, placing 14th (30:45.0).
When asked what led to such a strong showing, Luban said a lot of things came together. “The snow conditions were actually really sloppy and terrible, but our coaches did a fantastic job on our skis. We’ve worked a lot on mental toughness this year and being able to tough out the tough days and that really showed.” Luban emphasized that the men’s margin of victory (22 points) was the “largest margin of victory for our team in a decade.”
The woman’s side also saw some fantastic individual efforts and finished in second place, with Cate Brams ’18 tying a career-best finish of second place (16:39.4) in the Women’s 5K Classic. Katie Feldman ’18 placed eighth (17:16.5), while Alexandra Lawson ’21 achieved a tenth-place finish (17:28.4). Also doing well were Annika Landis ’20 (12th place – 17:35.3) and Orli Schwartz ’20 (15th place – 17:50.6).
For the Alpine teams, Caroline Bartlett ’19 paced the women’s squad with a two-run time of 1:45.43, good for 11th place in the Giant Slalom. Lexi Calcagni ’19 also finished in the top-20, finishing in 1:45.91 (16th place).
Erik Arvidsson ’21 was the first finisher for the men with a time of 1:42.25 (eighth place) and Riley Plant ’18 was the other top-20 performer (11th place – 1:42.54). Plant, however was .02 seconds away from a top-ten finish, and the men finished the Giant Slalom in second place.
On day two, Brams put on another strong performance in the 3.8K Freestyle. Brams crossed the line at 9:39.6, good for seventh place. Behind her were Feldman (13th place – 9:51.4), Lawson (16th place – 9:55.0), and Schwartz (19th place – 9:58.6). Wood also skied well, posting another top-ten finish at eighth place (8:28.8), with Wolter and Luban also earning points (13th place and 19th place, respectively). Both teams finished the event in third overall, with Brams and Wood named EISA women’s and men’s nordic skiers of the week, respectively.
In the Slalom event, Lucia Bailey ’21 finished in 2:09.38, which cracked the top-10. Katie Utter ’20 also finished in the top-20, ending up in 16th place (2:10.6).
Arvidsson continued to race well, posting a second-place time of 1:52.79. Plant was the lone other Panther male to score points, finishing in 19th place.
This Friday and Saturday the Panthers will return to the mountain for the Middlebury Carnival (EISA Championships) at the Snow Bowl. For Luban and the Nordic squad, they are “looking forward to throwing down at our home carnival and then sending a full contingent to NCAA championships.”
“We always joke on the team that [the Middlebury] Carnival is the only weekend that matters, but coming up to the last time I’ll race at Rikert, it doesn’t feel like a joke,” Bram’s explaims. “There’s so much pride in hosting NCAA Regionals at Middlebury, and then there’s also something special about the last Carnival of my college career being Midd Carnival. It’s always the best weekend of the year, and I’m just stoked to see what the team can do.”
With the College providing shuttles to the Bowl, come one, come all and bring the noise.
(02/15/18 1:46am)
While the rest of Middlebury was enjoying its last days of February Break, the Middlebury Alpine and Nordic ski teams were competing at the Dartmouth Carnival on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 9 and 10. The teams earned a third-place finish with 699 points, behind Dartmouth and University of Vermont.
After the first day of competition, Middlebury sat in third place, behind the hosts and University of Vermont, because of a strong showing on the alpine side. Riley Plant ’18 led the way with a time of 2:02.17, good for third place in the Giant Slalom. Erik Arvidsson ’21 continued his strong rookie campaign, placing ninth (2:03.06). Pate Campbell ’20 and Angie Duke ’19 placed 24th and 25th, and the men as a team placed second in the Giant Slalom behind Dartmouth.
On the women’s side, Caroline Bartlett ’19 led the team, placing fifth with a combined time of 2:06.74 in the Giant Slalom. Also posting a top-ten finish was Lexi Calcagni ’19 (2:07.53), good for ninth. Katie Utter ’20 and Lucia Bailey ’21 earned NCAA points for the squad, placing 17th and 18th (2:09.79 and 2:09.98), respectively. Overall the women placed third in the Giant Slalom.
Even after a foot of snow on Wednesday at Dartmouth, the alpine teams have enjoyed the icy snow conditions this year. “It is actually great for us because courses hold up better (less ruts and bumps) as more people ski it,” said team captain Plant. “Dartmouth wasn’t much of an exception, though the foot or so of snow we received on Wednesday meant the icy layer took some work from the groomers and racer to access.”
For the nordic teams, Annika Landis ’20 was the first Panther woman to cross the finish line during the 5K Classic, placing ninth with a time of 37:31.20.
Just behind her was Cate Brams ’18, who finished 10th (37:34.00). Also earning NCAA points for Middlebury were Alexandra Lawson ’21 (13th), Avery Ellis ’21 (15th), and Katie Feldman ’18 (25th). These five Panthers carried Middlebury to a third-place finish in this race.
Team captain Brams was thrilled to see Middlebury’s underclassmen lead the Panthers on Friday. “We had some underclassmen really step it up on the women’s side,” said Brams, “which for me was more exciting to see than any standout individual results, and indicates that we have a lot more to give these last couple weekends.”
Jacob Volz ’18 (31:54.60) paced the men with a 16th place finish in the 10K Classic event, with Sam Wood ’19 just three-tenths of a second behind. Adam Luban ’18 also earned points with a 22nd place finish.
On Saturday, the Alpine teams competed in the Slalom event. The women took home third place (98 points) while the men placed ninth. Once again Bartlett finished fifth with a time of 1:48.88 (her second run time of 54.29 seconds was the best out of any skiers). Bailey (ninth in 1:50.22) and Utter (16th in 1:52.23) also finished in the top-20. Rounding out the top-30 was Madison Lord ’21 (30th – 1:55.39).
Justin Alkier ’21 finished the day with a career best 21st-place finish (1:47.25), while Plant also earned points, finishing two spots behind Alkier with a time of 1:47.40.
In the women’s 5K freestyle event, Feldman and Brams paced the Panthers, placing sixth and seventh (14:57.2 and 15:05.5) overall, respectively. Also earning points were Lawson (17th in 15:18.6), Landis (27th in 15:39.7), and Ellis (29th in 15:43.3). As a team, the women finished third in this race.
In the men’s 10K freestyle, Wood led the squad this time, crossing the line in 26:32.7 (7th place) while Luban also placed in the top-15 (12th, 26:46.0). Just seconds between them, Lewis Nottonson ’19 placed 27th while Volz placed 28th.
Middlebury will travel to Prospect Mountain in Woodford, Vermont, to race in the Williams Carnival on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 16 and 17.
Then, the following weekend, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23 and 24, the Panthers will host the Middlebury Carnival at Rikert and the Snow Bowl, which will double as the EISA Championships.
“We’re generally really strong as a team later in the season,” Brams said, looking forward to the rest of the season. “I’m excited to see those younger athletes build on this weekend’s performances.”
Following these two carnivals are the NCAA Championships in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, which Plant and the Panthers have set their sights on.
“Moving into the final 2 carnivals, we are hoping to qualify a couple more individuals for the NCAA Championships,” Plant said. “We can take a maximum of 3 men and 3 women and currently have 2 of each qualified, so it’s really important that we act selflessly on race day the next few weekends to make sure everybody is in a great head space when they get in the starting gate.”
Calcagni agreed with Plant that the Panthers have what it takes to finish the season on a high note. Dartmouth, where a number of skiers achieved personal bests, was “a great start to the second half of the season,” said Calcagni. “There is so much potential on our team to put it all together.”
(01/24/18 10:03pm)
The Alpine Ski Team opened up their season last weekend at Sugarloaf Mountain in Carabassett, Maine. High winds cancelled the first day of the Colby Carnival, but the Panthers got on the mountain this past Sunday.
The women’s side finished in a tie for first place with Dartmouth, finishing with 226 points in the Giant Slalom. Leading the way was Caroline Bartlett ’19 who posted a day-best 1:00.81 in her first run. Bartlett followed that performance by crossing the line at 1:03.5, giving her a second-place finish on the day. The other top-10 finishers for the Panthers was Jackie Atkins ’20, who finished in 2:07.15 overall, good for sixth place. Lexi Calcagni ’19 was just behind at 11th place with a 2:08.16 time.
Calcagni noted the terrain was tough because of some wind and ice but, all in all, the team was glad to start the season off on such a high note.
“I don’t think we could have asked for a better start to the season on the women’s side,” said Cacagni.
With 130 points in the giant slalom, the men’s squad finished the day in sixth place. Riley Plant ’18 was the first Middlebury man to finish. His two-run time of 2:03.62 placed him 16th.
Davon Cardamone ’18 and Justin Alkier ’21 were the second and third Panthers to cross the finish line, posting times of 2:03.77 and 2:05.97. While the men’s side did not achieve their hoped-for results, the season is young.
Plant talked about how Sugarloaf poses challenges.
“[Sugarloaf is] one of the most difficult hills we compete on,” said Plant. But the Panthers viewed the challenge as an opportunity to improve.
“During inspection and minimizing preventable mistakes during our race runs” is especially where the team can focus on getting sharper, said Plant. “We can achieve that by relaxing pre-race; this will be easier now that the first-race-jitters are out of the system. With the slalom race postponed to next weekend, we’ll make sure to hammer the slalom training this week in preparation for the St. Mike’s Carnival.”
On the Nordic side, Cate Brams ’18 backed up the high expectations for her this season. Brams crossed the line second in the women’s 5K Classic with a time of 13:15.85, a career best, on the first day of the St. Michael’s Carnival in Hinesburg, Vermont.
Katie Feldman ’18 placed sixth for the second consecutive week after completing the course in 13:46.25. Sophia Hodge ’20 had the best placement of her young Middlebury career, crossing 23rd in 14:20.84. Overall, the women’s team registered 103 points to come in third.
Meanwhile, the men’s side racked up 103 points — also good for third place.
Evan Weinman ’18 paced the Panthers with a 24:58.03 in the 10K Classic, placing fifth individually. Two spots behind Weinman was Peter Wolter ’21, with a time of 24:59.24. Adam Luban ’18 and Sam Wood ’19 placed 20th and 21st, with times of 25:52.07 and 25:53.41.
Day 2 opened with the women’s 10K Freestyle, where Brams once again led the Panthers by crossing the finish line in 29:56.3 for seventh place. Annika Landis ’20 was the other Middlebury athlete to place in the top-20, as she finished 19th by crossing the line at 30:34.1. The women’s squad once again collectively captured the bronze, this time with 81 points.
“It was great to see us build on what we put together at Colby, and it gives us a lot of confidence in the work that we’ve put in all year,” Brams said after last weekend’s competition. “We were so excited about what the men’s team put together — great to see a huge team win. On the women’s side, we have a pretty young team that is still adjusting to college racing, and I’m incredibly proud of their confidence and drive this weekend. We’re all excited and hungry for more.”
The men’s squad also surged forward as they won the 15K Freestyle event with 123 points. This was their first on-day win since 2009.
This time Wolter led the pack, continuing his hot start from the previous day. He earned his best-ever finish with a second-place tally by crossing at 38:31.7.
Three other Panthers finished in the top-ten: Lewis Nottonson ’19 (fifth, 38:47.9), Wood (sixth, 38:56.2) and Luban (ninth, 39:19.2). Nottonson and Wood also garnered their best finishes of their respective careers, while Luban tied his career-best finish.
“Saturday’s course was highlighted by a long gradual downhill section on the front of the course and a gradual climb back up towards the stadium,” Nottonson said, describing the layout of the course. “Sunday used a partially overlapped lower loop that extended another kilometer downhill from the previous day’s course and had an additional switchback climb added onto the upper end of the course.”
The Nordic squad will be back in action on Feb. 2nd at the Vermont Carnival in Stowe, Vermont, while the Alpine team is in action this weekend in Jeffersonville, Vermont, at Smuggler’s Notch, where they will take part in the St. Michael’s Carnival.
(01/17/18 10:19pm)
The opportunity to ski and snowboard factors into the college decision for a good number of Middlebury students. With convenient shuttles to the Snow Bowl offered almost hourly and Sugarbush Mountain less than an hour away, opportunities to get on the snow are everywhere. The mountains are a place of escape for many, a destination that makes cutting class entirely excusable when it snows enough during J-term. But whether they ski at Mad River Glen or board down Mead Chapel Hill, the majority of campus probably approaches snow sports somewhat differently than members of the Division I Middlebury Alpine and Nordic ski teams.
Given the studied precision with which Panther downhill skiers attack the slopes, you can be sure that they take careful note of mountain conditions when they plan their runs. “Every day, every run is different from the last,” says Devon Cardamone ’18. Unlike track — another timed sport — “every course is different on any given day, and it’s not a sport where you have a ‘best time’ or a personal best.” As a general rule, fresh powder is enough to make the casual skier’s mouth water; the term “casual skier,” however, hardly applies to a DI athlete who loves nothing more than to get down the slope as fast as possible. With that in mind, could you really blame Cardamone for preferring his hills “steep and icy”?
Sure, many of us can get down the mountain just fine — but it probably looks much different than how Caroline Bartlett ’19 (also captain of the skiers’ IM hockey team, ironically named “Snowboard Club”) does it. Last year she took home three Carnival wins (all in Giant Slalom), five top-five finishes, an NCAA qualifying bid, and second-team All-East honors for the Alpine team. Jackie Atkins ’20 was the other Panther Alpine NCAA qualifier, posting a very strong season in her rookie year: she placed in the top-15 seven different times.
But those two aren’t the only ones on the Middlebury team with postseason races in their sights. Vermont native Lexi Calcagni ’19 is looking to build on a solid season after posting a couple of top-10 finishes, including an eighth place performance in giant slalom at the 2017 Middlebury Carnival. Fellow Vermonter Katie Utter ’20 will also challenge for a Carnival spot after posting six top-20 finishes in her first year. As a whole, the women’s Alpine team finished with third-place finishes in the final three carnivals of the 2017 season and 14th overall at NCAAs.
On the men’s side, Riley Plant ’18 and Cardamone will lead the way. Despite his warm-weather roots (average January temperature in his hometown of Auburn, CA: 46 degrees Fahrenheit), Plant has seven top-10 finishes over the course of his three-year career. Cardamone, a Coloradan, earned a second-place result in the Giant Slalom at the Vermont Carnival in addition to placing 12th twice over the course of the season. Veteran Angie Duke ’19 figures to challenge for a carnival spot after placing 10th and 12th in a pair of races last year.
Team chemistry could be the key to improving on these results. This year’s team “is the most cohesive unit I have seen since I’ve been here,” says Plant. “Our young skiers are huge sources of energy and enthusiasm, and our upperclassmen have done a tremendous job in fostering a balanced team dynamic,” says Plant.
The Panthers aim to build on those team dynamics with a work ethic that will play a large role in their 2018 success. The Alpine team spent an increased amount of time in the weight room this offseason, alternating between dumbbells, barbells, and balancing on Bosu balls. While the gym isn’t wholly necessary for the average skier, “it’s really important to develop explosive power, quickness, and endurance in order to take advantage of training opportunities and to prevent injuries,” according to Bartlett. But obviously, getting on the snow is just as important: to that end, the recent cold “provided some amazing early season conditions,” she said.
This “on-snow training” began in earnest over Thanksgiving Break. While many of us were gorging ourselves on turkey and pie (the present author being no exception), the team had traveled out west to Loveland, Colorado and was getting their first runs in.
Downhill skier Jack Schibli ’18 gave us an inside look into the rigorous training regimen required of a Division I athlete. It all starts with planning spring academic schedules, he said; in order to maximize training time on the mountain, the team chooses classes that start 11:15 a.m. at the earliest. While many of us are still sleeping, the Alpine team hits the dining hall when it opens at 7 a.m. before leaving for the Snow Bowl at 7:15. After around six to eight runs, they return to campus at 11 a.m.
After classes end, the team retires to the locker room to meticulously prepare their skis for the next day of training. “This includes sharpening the edges, waxing the base, letting the wax sit for at least 30 minutes and then scraping and brushing it out. Usually while we wait for the wax to cool, we’ll do a light workout… That whole process usually takes us into dinner around 6pm,” said Schibli. Next is homework (that’s right, even Division 1 athletes grind in the library) and some much-needed rest before starting it all again the next day.
It is perhaps due to this grueling daily schedule that Plant has seen “vast improvement from our rising upperclassmen. Our first-years have [also] shown great speed in training every day.
All in all, the team looks well-poised to contend with the best, especially in giant slalom.”
On the men’s Nordic side, experience will not be lacking. Just like the women’s Alpine team, Nordic placed third in the final three carnivals of the 2017 season. Massachusetts native Lewis Nottonson ’19 was the lone Panther to earn an NCAA Championship bid after placing sixth in the 20K Freestyle at Middlebury, topping his previous-best 11th place finish earlier in the year (10K Freestyle at St. Lawrence).
Coming extremely close to 2017 NCAA bids were New Yorker Adam Luban ’18 and Sam Wood ’19 from Maine. Both Luban and Wood’s season-best finishes were ninth in the 10K Classic (the former did it at Dartmouth while the latter was at the Vermont Carnival). Veteran Evan Weinman looks to finish his career strong after crossing the finish line in the top-ten five times in various events over the course of 2017.
Rounding out the men’s roster are Jacob Volz ’18, Gabe Mahoney ’20, Max Polito ’20, and a pair of rookies — Calvin Bates ’21 and Peter Wolter ’21 — looking to make a name for themselves.
For the women, success will be tied to their senior leadership. Cate Brams ’18 and Katie Feldman ’18 begin the 2018 season with NCAA aspirations after closing out the majority of their 2017 races as the top two Middlebury competitors. Last season, Brams achieved a fifth-place finish in the Freestyle Sprint at the Vermont Carnival and wound up sixth in the 5K Classic at the EISA Championships; Feldman’s top individual finish was 15th in the 10K Classic at the University of Vermont.
The rest of the squad is very young, with no juniors on the roster. Four sophomores will battle for Carnival spots (Alex Cobb ’20, Sophia Hodges ’20, Annika Landis ’20, and Orli Schwartz ’20) along with a couple of first years (Avery Ellis ’21 and Alexandra Lawson ’21).
Like the Alpine team, the Nordic squad believes their team chemistry will be crucial to 2018’s success. This year’s team is “more cohesive than we’ve been in the past,” said Feldman. “I’ve been really impressed by our first years and sophomores. They’ve done a great job stepping up in both training and racing, and I’m excited to see what they can do in the rest of the season.”
While the beginning of a season always brings promising new hope, this will be the last year of collegiate competition for eight members of the Panther ski teams. Like anyone who has devoted such a massive amount of time and effort to their passion, many of these seniors couldn’t help but evince some sadness as they looked forward to the end of their seasons. However, the moment also provided them an opportunity to reflect on how best to take advantage of their remaining months as a Middlebury student-athlete.
For Plant, that process involves taking the time to truly bond with the team. “Heading into my last season, I’m really looking to have as much fun as possible,” he said. “The results tend to be better when I focus on the things that remain consistently positive, and my teammates are particularly important for that,” he says. Most importantly, Plant plans to leave nothing on the table: “I also hope to take some chances and really ski aggressively while I still have the opportunity to do so.”
With one last season comes one last Winter Carnival, perhaps the defining moment of the ski season for students and athletes alike. Held at the Snow Bowl and the Rikert Nordic Center, Middlebury’s lone home event falls on February 23rd and 24th; numerous students attend each year, creating a one-of-a-kind home advantage.
Like the rest of his team, Cardamone loves this particular weekend. “It’s awesome racing at winter carnival just because there’s so much support from the rest of the school. There aren’t many college ski races where you can actually hear people cheering for you while you ski by… the students are having [so much fun] and it adds to the energy on race day.”
Asked to sum up the team’s aspirations for the season, Plant might have put it best: “Go big or go home, ya know?”
(11/08/17 5:39pm)
In the Nescac tournament this past weekend, the volleyball team fell in the first round to Bowdoin 3–2 (25–22, 25–18, 17–25, 25–27, 10–15) on Friday, Nov. 3. The match at Tufts, a neutral site, was close throughout, marking a heartbreaking end to the Panther’s season.
With a 9–8 lead in the opening set, the Panthers strung together a 4–0 run that included a pair of kills from Eliana Schaefer ’18. Their lead ballooned to as great as six, 17–11, before the Polar Bears clawed their way back to a three point-deficit. Middlebury countered, using three kills by Sarah Staver ’19 to put together a 6–1 run and take a commanding 23–15 lead. Bowdoin surged back, winning the next five points before a Becca Raffel ’18 kill stopped the run. Emily Kolodka ‘18 ended the set moments later with a kill of her own to seal the set for Middlebury.
In the second set the Panthers again used a 4-0 run to give themselves a lead 12–7 behind two kills from Isabel Sessions ’19. Bowdoin returned fire to, once again, bring themselves to within three, but a block by Alice Roberts ’18 put the Panthers back up by four. Middlebury won five of the next seven points to achieve a two-set lead. In the set, they limited the Polar Bears to a hitting percentage below .200 while hitting .400 themselves.
In the third set, at an 8–8 tie, Bowdoin went on a run to go ahead 16–10. Sessions used a kill to bring the Panthers to within five at 18–13, but the Polar Bears retaliated by winning the next six points, eventually taking the third set.
In the fourth, Middlebury jumped out to a quick 5–1 lead but was on the wrong end of a 10-2 streak and went down 11–7. The rest of the set was a back and forth affair, seeing ties at 14 apiece, 15, 16, 21, and 24. Down to set point at 24–25, Emma Walsh ’21 recorded a kill to extend the set, but Bowdoin won the next two points to even the match. Bowdoin went ahead in the final set after a 6–1 run to put them up 9–4. Middlebury was unable to recover, as the Polar Bears took the final set 15–10 and the match as well.
Sessions led the attack with 17 kills, while Raffel (11) and Staver (10) also had double-digit kills. Walsh paced the Panthers with 39 assists and added 10 digs while Alper secured a team-high 16 digs.
Sessions had a career year, demolishing her season-high of kills, 273 in 2016, with 304 this year. Walsh made a splash in her first year with 512 assists, and her 9.48 assists per set ranked third in the Nescac. Another first-year, Shea Golden ’21, ranked in the top five in the conference in service aces per set with 0.43. Staver contributed 78 blocks on the season to lead the team with Schaefer just behind with 76.
Seniors Raffel, Kolodka, Roberts, and Schaefer finish their four year careers with a 64–37 record and one Nescac championship in 2016. Raffel ends her career fifth place all-time on the Panther kill leaderboard with 1,163 over her four years.
Although the season did not end as hoped, Raffel has nothing but good memories of her career, “The past four years have been an incredible experience playing for MCVB and I’m excited to see what the team accomplishes in the future.”
Roberts finishes with 473 kills while Kolodka leaves with 1,163 career digs to place her ninth in program history. Schaefer capped off her career with a career-season and totaled 449 kills and 162 assists in her time in a Panther uniform.
“The seniors have contributed in every way this season, fostering a family like dynamic that is evident on and off the court,” said Alper about her departing teammates. “We will miss the four seniors immensely next year but we are so excited to see what they will accomplish next. We are fueled to take back the NESCAC title in their honor.”
Coach Sarah Raunecker said the seniors were “the backbone of the team. All four were starters and major contributors to the box score, but on top of that, they were great teammates.”
While their contributions on the court cannot be understated, their attributes off it were just as impressive.
“I’m so proud of them,” said Raunecker. “I think it’s says a lot about the respect they’ve garnered over their careers that all four were selected for the NEWVA Senior Classic honoring the top seniors in New England. We will have some big holes to fill next year, both offensively and defensively. I’m really going to miss them.”
(11/01/17 5:40pm)
The volleyball team dropped their final two contests of their regular-season slate last Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27 and 28, falling short in two close calls on the road against Hamilton and Williams. With the pair of losses that went to five sets, the Panthers dropped to 16–8 (5–5) and grabbed the sixth-seed in next weekend’s Nescac Championships.
Against the Continentals, the Panthers snatched a 2–1 set lead but were eventually defeated (20–25, 25–22, 25–21, 12–25, 10–15) in five sets. In the opening set, the Panthers quickly jumped out to a 5-0 lead, which included two kills by Isabel Sessions ’19 (both assisted on by Gigi Alper ’20). On a service ace, Hamilton was able to even the set at 10 before Middlebury put together a run; down 13–17, Hamilton clawed their way back and, after knotting the score at 20 apiece, took the first set by rattling off the last five points.
In the second set, the Panthers again knocked off the first five points en route to an 11-3 advantage. The hosts came back to make it 14–10, but two Becca Raffel ’18 kills sparked another run. When Hamilton once again cut the deficit to four, a joint block by Eliana Schaefer ’18 and Sarah Staver ’19 earned Middlebury the set.
The third set was a back and forth affair, seeing Hamilton jump out to an early lead but the Panthers, showing their grit, stole the lead at 14–13 and never looked back. Down 9-13, Raffel killed a shot and the visitors earned the next seven points. Up 16–13, the Continentals again dwindled the lead to one, but kills by Schaefer, Staver, and Sessions prevented a comeback, and a Raffel kill gave Midd the set.
During the fourth and fifth sets, however, Middlebury made a strong showing but was unable to pull through with a victory. Schaefer saw a career-high 15 kills, Raffel recorded her 11th double-double on the year (14 kills, 15 digs) along with three service aces, and Alper dug out 29 balls. Nonetheless, the Continentals took the victory in the end.
The following day, Middlebury ended their regular season at Williams College, falling 3–2 (21–25, 25–11, 21–25, 25–16, 10–15).
In the opening set, the Ephs gained control after a 5–5 tie. The Panthers were able to tie the game at 21, but Williams took the next four points and the game.
In the second, however, the Panthers gained control early behind a ten-point run to open the set. The Ephs cut the lead to seven but Middlebury responded with another run of their own.
Up 23–10, Williams won the next point before the Panthers won the next two to even the match.
The third saw a close match until 19–15, advantage Middlebury, at which point Williams stormed back to take control and win the game. Subsequently, the Panthers forced a deciding set in a back and forth affair. At 13–13 Middlebury pulled away, going on a 12–3 run to win the set and even the match.
The ultimate set was once again a battle until Williams eventually took control and clinched the match. While the results were not ideal, there were bright spots. In a closely fought battle, Middlebury out-hit Williams (.257 to .178) and blocked more shots (9-to-2). Sessions was splendid, racking up a career high 23 kills while hitting .413. Emma Walsh ’21 pitched in 44 assists and 17 digs.
Even with the losses, the Panthers are not fazed. Emily Kolodka ’18 says, “We’re going to work on making smarter shots, giving maximum effort every point, and showing up ready to play for each game. We knew at the beginning of the season that there were multiple pathways to achieve our goal of Conference Champions, so our seed doesn’t worry us right now.”
As the sixth seed, Middlebury draws the tough opponent No. 3-seeded Bowdoin next weekend in the first step on their way to, hopefully, another conference title crown.
(10/18/17 11:18pm)
The Panther volleyball team played faced a tough slate of matches last Friday and Saturday that saw the team drop a pair of Nescac games to Tufts and Bowdoin before prevailing over The University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI). The Panthers (14–5, 5–3) now sit at fifth in the conference but still have to play Williams and Hamilton, the teams sandwiching them in the standings.
On Friday, Middlebury travelled to Tufts in what was a rematch of last season’s conference tournament final where the Panthers triumphed over the heavily favored Jumbos. Once again, the two teams played a tightly contested match but the Panthers ended up losing in four sets (19–25, 25–15, 21–25, 23–25).
In the opening set, the Jumbos started with a 7–3 run but lost the lead during a 5–3 run by the Panthers which concluded with two Becca Raffel ’18 kills. Tufts, however, regained the lead and never looked back, taking the opening set.
In the second, however, Middlebury controlled the tempo. A Tufts attack error and two Elana Schaefer ’18 kills gave the Panthers a quick 2–0 lead. Later, after being down 15–10, Tufts climbed back in the game, bringing the score to 16–13. Middlebury, capitalizing on numerous service and attack errors by the Jumbos, went on a 9–2 run taking the set to even the match at one game apiece.
In the ensuing set the Jumbos once again started hot, this time jumping out to a 7–3 lead. However, the Panthers fought back to bring the match to within one point and for the remainder of the set Tufts never led by more than two—that is, until Middlebury seized the lead, 19–18, and the hosts scored the next six points capped off by a Middlebury service error.
What proved to be the ultimate set once again fell into a similar pattern. The Panthers took a 2–0 lead on two Tufts attack errors. After a Jumbos point, Middlebury extended the lead to 4–1 on two more Tufts attack errors but the Jumbos were able to knot the match at 8 and, thereafter, the teams largely traded points—there were seven lead changes and 11 ties. The Panthers simply did not have enough in the tank and ended up losing the final two points after the set was tied at 23.
There were bright spots though for the Panthers. Alice Roberts ’18 tallied a season-high 12 kills while Middlebury had more service aces than Tufts (Raffel had two while Gigi Alper ’20, Emma Walsh ’21 and Shea Golden ’21 each notched one). Golden also contributed 11 digs while Alper led the team with 17.
Continuing their road-trip, the squad drove two hours to Brunswick, Maine, where they split a doubleheader against the Polar Bears and UMPI. Middlebury lost the Nescac matchup in straight sets (21–25, 17–25, 22–25) but managed to turn around and absolutely smoke non-conference UMPI in straight sets (25–6, 25–15, 25–18).
Middlebury never found their groove against Bowdoin, a team that has given the Panthers trouble over the last few years. On the bright side, Raffel continued to dominate the competition with 11 kills and 16 digs. Alper managed to finish with a match-high 23 digs.
Following the Nescac losses, Schaefer believes the team needs to continue to compete. While a losing streak can be tough to overcome, her team needs to push themselves.
“We need to step up our game in order to set ourselves up to be in the best position possible for Nescacs,” said Schaefer.
UMPI, however, did not provide a challenge for the Panthers, who easily shook off their losing streak. The Panthers held UMPI to .091 hitting percentage and a single block, while Middlebury saw .355 and seven blocks. Golden led the match in service aces (4), Sessions in kills (10), and Ferdinand in assists (27).
“We are looking forward to regrouping and using this weekend’s non-conference competition to prepare for our final league games of the season,” Alper said.
This weekend’s New England Challenge will be an excellent opportunity to right the ship and prepare for their final weekend of Nescac play for the Panthers. With only two weeks remaining before the postseason, the Panthers look to get back their competitive fire that led them to the 10-game win streak that they were in the middle of just a week ago.
(10/11/17 9:22pm)
This past weekend, the Middlebury volleyball vanquished Connecticut College on Friday, Oct. 6, before falling to Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 7, snapping a 10-match winning streak. The Panthers (12–3, 4–1) now sit at fourth in the Nescac standings.
In the weekend opener, the Camels did not provide a challenge, losing to the hosts in straight sets (25–13, 25–13, 25–10), which pushed Middlebury’s win streak was pushed to double digits.
In the first set, an attack error by the Panthers provided the Camels with the first point — the Panthers never trailed after that. After the Camels tied the set at 9, the Panthers went on a 14–2 run behind a plethora of kills courtesy of Eliana Schaefer ’18, Alice Roberts ’18, Sarah Staver ’19 and Isabel Sessions ’19.
The second set developed in a similar fashion, with the Camels winning the initial point, losing the lead, then knotting the score up at 9 only to have the Panthers go on a big run propelled by a barrage of kills.
With the last set underway, the Panthers no longer had any interest in making it seem like they might let the Camels hang around for another set. Middlebury quickly jumped out to an 8–3 lead behind two kills by Sessions and a couple of service aces by Gigi Alper ’20. The Camels won the next point, but it proved to be their real gasp of competitiveness of the day. Middlebury tacked on another long scoring streak (12–3) before Staver closed out the victory with a block.
Middlebury dominated the whole way, especially on defense, tallying 11 blocks, while the visitors could not manage to notch a single one. Staver led the way in the category with a phenomenal eight-block effort — Sessions tacked on four while Schaefer added three.
Becca Raffel ’18 led the offense with a match-high nine kills while Sessions put four shots away. Alper, with 10 digs, also added a match-high four service aces.
On Saturday, the team celebrated senior day, honoring Raffel, Schaefer, Roberts and Emily Kolodka ’18. However, team on the other side of the net was a hot Wesleyan team who came in 13–1 and undefeated in Nescac play. Middlebury’s 10-game win streak was snapped by the Cardinals, but not without a fight from the Panthers who let a 2–0 set advantage slip away. The Cardinals clawed their way back into the match after dropping the first two sets 25–19 and 25–11, winning a pair of 25–19 do-or-die victories before narrowly escaped Pepin with a 16–14 win in the rubber-match fifth set.
In a tight first set, tied at 13, the hosts put together a 5–1 run. The Cardinals managed to close the gap though to 21–19, but four straight home-team points that was capped by a Roberts kill down the line gave the Panthers a one-set-to-zero advantage.
The second set was not nearly as tight as the first. The hosts bounded out to an 8–4 lead and then won the next nine points. During the run, Staver and Roberts both recorded a pair of kills. Middlebury ended up winning handily, posting a sparkling .483 hitting percentage in the process.
The third set saw another mid-set tie, this time at 14. It was Wesleyan, however, that strung together the points this time, and the Panthers found themselves in a 21–15 hole, a point from which they never seemed to recover for the rest of the match. The fourth and fifth stanzas were not as close, despite what the scores indicate, as the Cardinals jumped out to early leads, held off Middlebury advances, ultimately handing the Panthers a loss.
Despite the loss, Raffel continued to dominate Nescac foes as she posted a season-best 21 kills. Schaefer, Roberts and Staver were also instrumental on the offensive, posting kill totals of 11, 11 and 12, respectively. Emma Walsh ’21, thriving when she is given playing time and opportunities, dished out a career-best 55 assists while also adding seven digs.
Even in a losing effort, the Panthers outhit the Cardinals .283 to .208 and managed to pile up more blocks, with 11 to Wesleyan’s seven.
With a weekend of mixed results, Raffel remains confident.
“This weekend was full of highs and lows,” Raffel said. “Connecticut College is a good team and we were able to stay focused and execute efficiently against them. The loss to Wesleyan was obviously disappointing, but I’m so proud of our composure throughout the match and we will hope to see them again down the road.”
The Panthers have a big couple of days ahead, as they travel to Medford, Maine, tomorrow to take on the Nescac front-running Tufts Jumbos in a rematch of last seasons Nescac tournament championship before heading to Brunswick, Maine, to face Bowdoin on Saturday.
(10/04/17 11:47pm)
With three more wins, the Middlebury volleyball team pushes their winning streak to an impressive nine games, a mark they did not even reach last year when they won the Nescac crown.
“Our team is getting better each time we step on the court,” Gigi Alper ’20. “Our winning streak is fueling our fire and gives us a lot of confidence going into another challenging home week.”
After they swept a mid-week tune-up against Colby-Sawyer, the Panthers were back in action in Nescac play last Friday, Sept. 29.
The Bates Bobcats visited Pepin and left with another loss (25–23, 25–22, 21–25, 25–22), dropping their record to 5–6 (1–2 in the conference). The match was more tightly contested than the midweek affair with four points being the largest point spread in any set.
After falling behind the Bobcats 7–3 in the first set, Middlebury fought back to tie the game at 14 after a Bobcats attack error. Neither team pulled away as the match progressed, so Isabel Sessions ’19’s kill that clinched the first game for the Panthers was clutch.
In the second set, Bates went on top early again, grabbing a 15–9 lead. However, the early hole in which the Panthers found themselves did not intimidate last week’s Nescac Player of the Week, Becca Raffel ’18, who propelled a 16–5 run for the Panthers and capped the set with a kill down the line. During this momentum-setting set, Raffel became just the fifth Panther in program history to reach the 1,000-kill plateau.
Up 2–0 in sets, the Panthers finally found themselves take an early lead, cruising to the point where they had a 12–7 lead. This time, however, it was the Bobcats who made a late run.
Bates’ 10–3 run was followed by a few attack errors that allowed Middlebury to regain the lead, 19–18, but the late-set surge was too much for the Panthers to overcome.
The fourth, and ultimately final, set was by far the closest. Neither team gained more than a two-point advantage as things were knotted up at 20–20.
Yet, having won plenty of close matches during their nine-game win streak, the Panthers were in familiar territory. The Panthers stayed characteristically cool under the pressure and notched five of the next seven points to take the set 25–22.
Raffel and Sessions paced the attack in the Bates match, as each provided 15 kills, while Gigi Alper ’20 dug 27 balls and Emma Walsh ’21, in her first Nescac action, dished out a match-high 49 assists. The Panther victory was due in large part to a dominating front line that roofed the Bobcats on numerous occasions, which Bates tried to counter by altering their strategy to rely more on dumps, but Middlebury adjusted and was unfazed.
“It was really exciting to get to play in conference games, and it was even better to play with such a great group of people,” Walsh said.
With one Maine school defeated, a second came to town to try to take down the Panthers on Saturday, Sept. 30, but also left with an L. Middlebury defeated Colby College in straight sets (25–13, 25–13, 25–15), pushing their winning streak to nine games. The Panthers thoroughly dominated the match, as Schaefer led the charge on both offense, 11 kills on 17 attempts, and defense with four block assists. After being tied at seven in the opening set, the hosts scored the next nine; important in this run was Raffel, who at one point had three consecutive kills.
The rest of the match was not close. Aside from an 8–6 Panther lead in the second set, the Mules, who hit a low .038 compared to the Panthers’ .393, were never within striking distance. Walsh contributed 32 assists and 12 digs while Emily Kolodka ’18 had 11 digs and a service ace.
Middlebury currently ranks first in the Nescac in hitting percentage (.255) and second in kills per set (12.67), while Raffel leads the conference in kills (176). Most important though is the Panthers’ standing in the Nescac: with four wins to zero losses, Middlebury sits atop the league along with fellow undefeated sides in Wesleyan and Tufts.
The Panthers will be back in action in Pepin tomorrow night at 8 p.m. when they start a pivotal homestand against Connecticut College. The premiere game of the weekend will take place in Pepin on Saturday, when Middlebury plays host to Wesleyan (12–1, 5–0), with match-time set for 2 p.m.
(09/27/17 11:47pm)
The Panther volleyball team remained scintillatingly hot, notching a win at St. Michaels on Tuesday, Sept. 19, before sweeping the Roadrunner Invitational with victories against Farmingdale State, New York University and the hosts, Ramapo. The wins on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 22 and 23, were welcome presents for Sarah Staver ’19 and Emma Walsh ’21, who both celebrated their birthdays this past weekend.
In its midweek tune-up, Middlebury defeated in-state opponent St. Michael’s in straight sets (27–25, 25–11, 25–10). While the second two sets were never truly in doubt, the opener was a tightly contested affair with neither team gaining more than a four-point advantage. Down 24–20, the Panthers were on the verge of dropping the first set but saved four consecutive set points, capped off by a kill at the hands of Eliana Schaefer ’18. After a Becca Raffel ’18 kill and a St. Michael’s error, the first set went to the Panthers.
The second set saw a 7–7 tie before Middlebury turned up the pressure by winning nine of the next 11 points and never looking back. Beth Neal ’20 ended the set with two service aces (she finished the match with three).
The third set was knotted up at five before a 6–1 Middlebury run led to an 25–10 third set win, clinching a victory for Middlebury.
The Panthers’ victory showed up in the statistics too, from a higher hitting percentage (.400 to .050), Blocks (seven to three), Digs (38 to 34) and Aces (10 to three). Isabel Sessions paced the attack, converting 68% of her attempts into match-high 13 kills. Raffel, known more for her offense, led the squad in digs (9), while Walsh, getting her first real time filling in for the injured Chellsa Ferdinand ’20, dished out a match-high 28 assists.
Though the injury to Ferdinand is less than ideal, Schaefer said, “we aren’t letting one setback get in the way of our goals.”
In the opening match of the weekend against Farmingdale State, Middlebury was victorious: 5–11, 25–18, 23–25, 25–20.
Down 2–1 in the first set, a kill by Schaefer sizzled the net and sparked a 13–2 run that gave the Panthers a lead they would never relinquish. The second set saw an unexpected comeback by the hosts, who rallied from a 10-point deficit to cut the Middlebury lead to 21–18. Then, two Farmingdale attack errors, a Walsh kill and a Jaime Donnelly ’21 kill gave Middlebury the second set.
The Panthers had a 21–18 lead in the third set, but a smart timeout by Farmingdale allowed them to regroup and score seven of the next nine points and steal a set. The fourth set, deadlocked at 15, looked to be a nail-biter until a 7–2 Middlebury run set the stage for a victory. Walsh, the birthday girl, finished the match with a service ace.
The second day of the invitational was not much different, with the Panthers controlling most of both matches. They earned a four-set victory against NYU (25–11, 25–20, 20–25, 25–20) and a straight-set win against host Ramapo (25–22, 25–14, 25–19). In the opener, Raffel pounded a match-high 16 kills while Schaefer contributed three blocks. Walsh built off her impressive debut and contributed 38 assists in the first and another 35, while the other birthday girl, Staver, produced nine kills and a pair of service aces in the concluding match.
“We didn’t know much about the teams we played beforehand and did a nice job developing strategies as we went along,” Raffel said, pleased with the weekend’s results. “A lot of new players stepped up.”
After the weekend, Middlebury now ranks in the top-two in the Nescac in service aces (72) and kills per set (12.54) but leads the pack in hitting percentage (.249). Raffel leads the Nescac in kills (145), while both Staver and Schaefer place in the top five in hitting percentage (.350 and .318), respectively.
Middlebury returns to Pepin Gymnasium when it plays host to Nescac opponents Bates and Colby on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 29 and 30.
(09/21/17 12:59am)
Coming off a 2–2 split the weekend prior, the Middlebury Women’s Volleyball team swept their opening set of conference matches, taking to the road to beat the Amherst Mammoths and the Trinity Bantams. Their Nescac record moved to 2–0 in the process.
On Friday, September 15, Isabel Sessions ’19 led the Panthers with 19 kills as the visitors came back in the first set to top Amherst, three sets to two (22–25, 25–22, 23–25, 25–22, 16–14). In a match that was always close — each set was decided by three points or less — it was Middlebury who came out victorious. After the two teams traded the first four sets, the Panthers were behind with the game on the line in the fifth, but they dug out a gritty victory in a thrilling finish.
When the pressure mounted, the visitors never wavered. Gigi Alper ’20, who contributed 28 digs (a good number of which came in crunch time), was never worried.
“We knew that if we stayed composed and executed our game plan, the results would take care of themselves,” Alper said. “I’m proud of my teammates for turning up the intensity and staying aggressive when we needed to put the match away.”
Becca Raffel ’18 continued her hot start to the season, registering 17 kills of her own. Of the team’s eight service aces, Beth Neal ’20 notched half. Helping to orchestrate the Panther offense, Chellsa Ferdinand ’20 contributed a match-high 49 assists. Eliana Schaefer ’18 and Sarah Staver ’19 provided the defense by blocking five Mammoth shots apiece.
The next day Middlebury visited Trinity, where the Panthers fought hard in yet another close match. Once again they came out on top, securing a 3–1 victory (25–23, 19–25, 25–19, 25–18) and moving to 2–0 in conference play. Sessions once again led the match in kills (17), but this time Ferdinand finished with the most service aces (3). The Panthers’ outperformed the Bantams in three major categories: hitting percentage (.221 to .146), blocks (7 to 6), and service aces (4 to 2).
After two losses to finish their tournament the weekend prior, getting their confidence back was huge for the team. Emily Kolodka ’18 said, “It feels great to sweep the opening conference weekend. Obviously we’re always happy to get wins, especially in conference. This weekend we really wanted to start off strong by focusing on ourselves and our goals instead of the opponent, and we’re looking forward to continued success.” Many are looking for that success to come with their offense: Raffel and Schaefer are both in the top five in the Nescac in kills (95 and 81, respectively).
The Panthers return to Nescac competition on Friday, Sept. 29, when they host Bates; first comes a match against St. Michael’s on Tuesday, Sept. 19, and the Roadrunner Invitational Tournament hosted by Ramapo this upcoming weekend.
(09/14/17 4:01am)
While the majority of Middlebury students were finishing unpacking and moving into their dorms, the volleyball team opened its 2017 season at the Union College Invitational. The Panthers started the invite strong with a straight-set win over Oneonta and a five-set nailbiter over Union, but dropped the second pair.
Middlebury started this season where it left off from last year with a straight-set victory over Oneonta (25–16, 25–17, 25–12). The Panthers started hot, going on an 8–1 run to open the weekend, and never trailed in the first two sets. They finished on a 9–2 tear to close the match. Co-captain Becca Raffel ’18 had a strong opener, netting a match-high 14 kills, while co-captain Sarah Staver ’19 converted 10 kills out of 11 opportunities. Gigi Alper ’20 contributed 11 digs and three service aces to help Middlebury blank Oneonta.
Middlebury dominated the stat sheet, winning the hitting percentage battle (.400 to .078), and recording more blocks (6–4), digs (37–27), and aces (9–4). With a total game time of just over an hour, the Panthers made quick work of their opponent.
Middlebury also took their second match of the day, beating host Union College by a margin of three sets to two (25–19, 25–22, 23–25, 20–25, 15–13). Middlebury went up two sets to none against Union before the hosts stormed back and won the next two sets; the Panthers were able to right the ship and put their opponents away in the fifth and final set. Once again, Raffel led the way with 20 kills to go along with 14 digs, while Alper pitched in 19 digs of her own. Eliana Schaefer ’18 and Isabel Sessions ’19 put up a dozen kills each. Although not as efficient as their first game’s mark, the Panthers once again obtained a higher hitting percentage than their opponent (.255 to .160). Both teams tied in digs with 71.
The second day, the script was flipped when the Panthers lost both matches by the same three-to-one score. The first time was against Stevens (24–26, 25–15, 26–24, 25–21). This time, Sessions led the squad in kills with 15, while Alper once again tallied a match high 19 digs. Co-captain Emily Kolodka ’18 finished just behind Alper, with 18 digs of her own. Chellsa Ferdinand ’20 was also a bright spot with 38 assists.
Against the College at Brockport later in the day, the Panthers fell in another tough match (25–20, 25–23, 23–25, 25–17). Continuing her dominant performance over the weekend, Raffel notched 12 each of kills and digs. When her second kill of the match hit the ground, she became the seventh Panther all-time to reach the 900-kill mark. Ferdinand finished the tournament strongly as well, contributing in every aspect (36 assists, eight digs, and three service aces). Although they couldn’t come away with the win, Middlebury has reason to be optimistic. They outperformed their opponents in hitting percentage (.252 to .243), blocks (nine to six), and digs (61 to 60).
While the tournament did not end as planned, the takeaways for the team were more positive than negative. Raffel, who was named to the all-tournament team after a 64-kill, 44-dig and five-service ace performance, had good things to say.
“The team showed a lot of really positive signs this weekend,” Raffel said. “Watching things come together for our first games of the season made us really excited for the season to come.”
What exactly is the goal?
A “repeat Nescac championship.”
The first steps come this Friday, Sept. 15, and Saturday, Sept. 16, as they travel to Amherst, Mass., to face the Mammoths, and then to New Haven, Conn., to face Trinity in their Nescac openers.
(05/11/17 3:50am)
The women’s lacrosse team just can’t get over the hump against Colby. The Panthers lost their first matchup when they travelled to Waterville, Maine, on April 22 by a score of 9-6. This past Saturday, May 6, despite homefield advantage in the NESCAC tournament, the Panthers fell to Colby 10-9 again in the semifinals at Kohn Field.
Colby scored the first two goals before Sara DiCenso ’19 brought the game to within one on a free-position opportunity with 21:48 remaining in the first half for her 11th goal of the season. Less than two minutes later, Bea Eppler ’17 tallied another free-position opportunity for her 17th on the year.
Soon after, though, Colby started to take control of the game. They scored the next four goals of the game. Hollis Perticone ’18, who led the NESCAC with 68 draw controls and was just named the NESCAC Player of the Year on May 4, put a stop the the Mules’ ferocious run when she found the back of the net for the 30th time this season.
Two minutes later, Eppler tallied number two on the day, bringing the Panthers to within two. After an Alex White ’19 foul, the Panthers were in a man-down position. Even at a disadvantage they were able to bring the game even closer, as Mary O’Connell ’17 assisted a Casey O’Neill ’19 goal with 2:03 left in the first period.
The Mules threatened to extend their lead to two, but Kate Furber ’19, a NESCAC Second-Team selection after being a mainstay in goal for the Panthers, made a save.
However, Colby took a 6-5 lead into the intermission period.
Jessie Yorke ’17 says the team talked about “confidence and trusting each other” during the intermission period. To win, the team had to play loose.
Colby opened the second half scoring when Sasha Fritts netted her 40th goal of the season. Eppler quickly answered, with an assist by MG Gately ’20. With the Panthers still down by one, O’Connell – who was named to the All-NESCAC First Team after leading the Panthers in points with 55 and assists with 22 and being second on the team in goals with 33 — scored her 34th of the year to tie things up.
After a Colby goal put the Mules on top once again, Gately tallied her fifth of the season. The Panthers retook the lead five minutes later when Jenna McNicholas ’19 put her 18th goal of the season in the back of the net, again assisted by O’Connell. Middlebury now had their first lead of the game.
This advantage was short-lived, however. Colby scored the next two goals, putting them up 10-9. With just over two minutes remaining, the Panthers needed a score to force overtime or two to clinch the victory.
In the final minute of play, the Panthers had opportunities to score but came up short. DiCenso and Eppler both had shots that hit the post. With 30 seconds left, Colby’s clear attempt failed when Delaina Smith ’17, another NESCAC First Teamer with her 27 takeaways, second in the NESCAC, added to her total with a stick check.
The Panthers retained possession and had one last opportunity, but O’Connell’s shot was saved by the Colby goalkeeper as the clock struck triple zeroes.
Evie Keating ’18, who was named all-NESCAC Second Team after ranking ninth in the league with 32 ground balls and second on the Panthers with 19 caused turnovers, talked about how the team’s seniors have inspired their teammates.
“[They] have been an inspiration to their teammates and coaches and have led a very young team to some pretty amazing wins and to a promising position for the NCAA tournament,” Keating said. “Even after Saturday’s loss, I have high hopes for our chances in the coming weeks thanks to the leadership from our seniors and the big roles underclassmen are stepping into.”
Perticone said much of the same.
“We have a lot of young talent on our team so this past weekend was a good experience to feel the jitters and pressure of tournament games,” Perticone said.
The Panthers season is not over, however. Middlebury will play at least one game in the upcoming NCAA tournament when they take on Plymouth State on May 13. In the event of a victory, they will force a rematch with Colby.
(05/04/17 1:59am)
About a month ago, on April 1, the Middlebury women’s lacrosse team trounced Amherst 13-3. This ten-goal margin, however, would not be repeated in the first round of the NESCAC tournament. The top-seeded Panthers hosted the Mammoths at Kohn Field, looking to start their postseason title defense.
Amherst got on the board first with a goal less than five minutes into the game. Amherst goalie Kyra Gardner blocked a shot by Jenna McNicholas ’19, but ten seconds later Sara DiCenso ’19 evened the score with an assist by classmate Emma McDonagh ’19. The Mammoths responded with a tally of their own, giving Amherst a short-lived lead. After an Amherst save off of a Casey O’Neill ’19 shot, Bea Eppler ’17 finished with a goal.
At the start of the next possession, Mary O’Connell ’17 (NESCAC player of the week for May 1) controlled the draw. This led to two quick shots by O’Connell and McDonagh within two seconds of each other, both of which were saved by Gardner. At 18:50, however, O’Neill beat Gardner, giving Middlebury a 3-2 lead. About two minutes later, O’Connell was once again involved, scoring a transition goal on an assist by Hollis Perticone ’18. Two Amherst goals tied the game at four apiece, and for just over 13 minutes no team scored. With 1:33 remaining in the opening period, however, Eppler gave the panthers a 5-4 lead. With no more goals, that score held until the second half.
In the second period, Perticone controlled the draw. After a wide shot by DiCenso, Perticone notched her second assist of the day, passing to Eppler who gave the Panthers a two-goal lead. Four minutes later, O’Connell converted a free position opportunity into another point; Middlebury now led 7-4. Amherst, however, would not give up; they closed the gap to two before five consecutive Mammoth shots either missed wide or were saved by Kate Furber ’19. DiCenso, assisted by Perticone, gave Middlebury a three-goal lead once again, 8-5.
The Mammoths then scored twice within two minutes, threatening to ensue a comeback and give the Panthers an undesired early exit. With 22 seconds left and Middlebury only up by one, Furber made a clutch save, basically sealing the victory for the Panthers. Furber finished with a dozen saves, while Eppler finished with three goals and Perticone an equal number of assists.
Middlebury will move on to face Colby College this upcoming Saturday at noon, looking to push their home winning streak to 15 and avenge a regular season loss to the Mules.
Alex White ’19, who picked up two ground balls and caused two turnovers on defense, said, “over the past week, we’ve had really productive practices and have made some big strides in developing our team, so it’s anyone’s game! Colby is definitely a good team, but I think that we have the skill and desire to win, and continue on to the NESCAC championship game.”
White added that, “Any and all fans would be greatly appreciated, because a hyped up crowd can really make a difference.”
For O’Connell the game on Saturday will have extra meaning, as she understands that her career as a Panther is winding down.
“It’s definitely bittersweet as a senior because I want to cherish every moment with these girls and my fellow seniors, and for now we’ll take it day to day and enjoy every moment until the last,” O’Connell said, adding that “the team remains extremely confident [in Middlebury’s] ability to go far into post season.”
Talent, strong leadership and a will to win is a dangerous combination.
The start time for the semifinal matchup with Colby is set for 12 p.m. at Kohn Field this Saturday.
(04/27/17 3:21am)
In a week where the weather once again played tricks on much of the Northeast, the Panther women’s lacrosse team split their two games, winning a weekday road matchup against Union before dropping a NESCAC contest to visiting Colby.
On Tuesday, Middlebury got on the board early as Mary O’Connell ’17 and Hollis Perticone ’18 scored within the first three minutes of play. After a Union goal, the Panthers extended their lead to 5-1 with Jenna McNicholas ’19 netting two and Bea Eppler ’17 one. The hosts tallied three of the next four goals to bring them within two, but two free position scores by Emma McDonagh ’19 and MG Gately ’20 and an unassisted goal by Perticone gave the visiting Panthers a five goal lead, although the Dutch Women were able to cut it to four before the half ended.
Within eight minutes of the start of the second half, Middlebury rattled off four consecutive goals by four different players: Eppler, Perticone (assisted by McDonagh), Sara DiCenso ’19 and McDonagh (assisted by Casey O’Neill ’19). In an attempt to come back, Union scored twice quickly but the Panthers answered back with two more goals by McDonagh and O’Connell. As soon as Union made another push to get back in the game with two goals, the Panthers answered with three of their own: Perticone netted two and DiCenso put the third home.
Middlebury ended the game with a comfortable lead over the Dutchwomen, winning by the margin of 18-10. Perticone stole the show with six goals in the win, while McDonagh contributed four points of her own (three goals, one assist) to bolster the Panthers. Eppler, DiCenso, O’Connell and McNicholas all scored twice.
This game, however, was not of huge importance. The main attraction was the matchup with tenth-ranked Colby on Saturday. While the Panthers were looking to pick up steam heading into the postseason, the underdog Mules wanted to play spoiler to the reigning champion’s hopes. In Waterville, Maine, the stage was set for a dogfight.
McDonagh got the Panthers on the board first, taking matters into her own hands and scoring an unassisted goal. Colby, however, returned fire with a goal of their own. McDonagh, not to be outdone, converted a free position opportunity into another tally. Perticone, eager to leave her mark on the stat sheet, scored her own free position goal. The home team scored again but Perticone was determined not to let the Mules gain momentum: she scored once again, putting her in contention again with McDonagh for leading scorer. Colby answered her efforts by scoring three of the next four goals. Going into the break, the NESCAC matchup was tied at five.
After an Eppler goal (assisted by Perticone), the Mules took control of the game. Displaying their impressive defense, Colby prevented Middlebury from scoring for the last 28:57 of the game. In that span, the hosts scored four times. The Panthers were not without their opportunities, though; Eppler and Perticone had multiple attempts in the period and O’Connell hit the crossbar on one of her shots. In the end, Colby came out on top, 9-6.
The Panthers’ six goals for the game were divided evenly between Eppler, Perticone and McDonagh, while Jessie Yorke ’17 scooped up three ground balls. Colby outshot Middlebury, 9-5, while Middlebury controlled more draws (11-6).
Middlebury had a chance to bounce back yesterday, Wednesday, April 26, as they hosted Williams Ephs. Check the athletics website for yesterday’s results or for the latest on the Panthers’ postseason outlook.
(04/21/17 5:26pm)
he year between last year’s Division III National Championship teams, the Middlebury women’s lacrosse team, ranked fifth in the country, edged out the sixth-ranked Trinity Bantams in a double-overtime affair. With 2:37 left in the second overtime period, Hollis Perticone ’18 gave the Panthers the win, extending their win streak to four.
In Hartford, Conn., the Bantams scored first. However, the Panthers quickly answered with goals by Mary O’Connell ’17 and Emma McDonagh ’19 – both unassisted. The hosts then netted three consecutive goals to put Trinity up 4-2; Perticone scored the last goal of the half with just over 10 minutes remaining, bringing the Panthers to within one at the intermission.
The second half was a back and forth battle starting with two more goals by McDonagh giving her a hat trick for the day. Trinity quickly regained the lead, however, with two more goals before O’Connell and McDonagh netted their second and fourth of the day, respectively — McDonagh’s goal was assisted by O’Connell, which was the 100th assist of her career. O’Connell is now only the third player ever in program history to achieve such a milestone. After a Bantam tally, Sara DiCenso ’19 regained the lead for the Panthers; but this advantage was short lived as Trinity scored two more goals in a span of 90 seconds, giving them the lead.
With two minutes remaining in the game, O’Connell played heartbreaker, tying the game up at nine. The first overtime period was scoreless, a defensive battle. Rather than disappointing, the first OT only added to the drama of the game.
In the second overtime period, Perticone drove to the net, ripped the ball into the back corner and sealed the deal for the Panthers; subsequently, sticks, gloves and eyewear were thrown into the air as the squad celebrated. It was the 20th goal of the season for Perticone.
“The most exciting thing about the overtime was how many times we were able to stop Trinity,” said Dicenso. “They won the draw in the first two overtimes and we played two sets of 3 minutes of awesome man defense and forced them to make bad shots. Also, Kate Furber ’19 came up really strong in goal. Perticone and Smith had an awesome double that caused the Bantams to turn the ball over which brought us down to score.”
In an even game in pretty much every statistical category, the Panthers came out of Connecticut with the win in a title game rematch. O’Connell paced Middlebury with five points – three goals and two assists.
“Our captains reminded us that we had come so far and fought so hard through the game that there was no reason to give up now,” Dicenso continued. “We knew we needed this win to solidify our spot in the NESCAC and were determined to win in overtime after suffering our other two losses of the season in overtime.”
With three games left in the regular season, Middlebury is heating up at the right time. The team will travel to Colby next Saturday, April 22, for their next conference matchup.