Middlebury outshot Wesleyan 48-11 on its way to a 7-2 win over the Cardinals in Kenyon Arena. The Panthers increase their all-time series lead to 37-0-2 over the Cardinals, as they return to action on Saturday when they host Hamilton at 3:00 p.m. in their regular season finale. Wesleyan wraps up its season at Williams on Saturday.
Middlebury opened the scoring at 15:32 as Julia Ireland scored from the door step, stuffing home a loose puck. Wesleyan's Rachel Stemmerman kept it a 1-0 game with 2:00 left in the period, denying Haley MacKeen in a two-on-one situation. The Panthers added to the lead with just 22 seconds left as Molly Vitt was credited with a goal that bounced off a defender, after the puck was sent in by Nora Bergman.
Middlebury took a 3-0 lead in the second period when Anna McNally scored her ninth of the season. Erika Nakamura also netted her ninth of the season, this one coming just 53 seconds later to make it a 4-0 lead. Wesleyan got back in the game with a pair of goals in the final six minutes of the period. Sena Ito netted the first goal as the puck deflected back to her at the high slot as she capitalized. The goal was her team-leading seventh of the season. Molly Friedmann made it a two-goal game with 2:05 left, as the Cardinals ended the period with a 4-2 deficit.
Middlebury gained some breathing room in the third period as Maggie Melberg scored for the Panthers with an assist from Ireland. Heidi Woodworth added a goal, while Nakamura scored her second of the game as Middlebury came away with a 7-2 win.
Lani Wright made six saves in 40 minutes, while Emma Lennon allowed no third period goals with three saves. Stemerman ended the night with 41 saves between the pipes for Wesleyan.
Date: February 20, 2009 - 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Kenyon Arena - Site: Middlebury, Vt.
TEAM 1 2 3 OT F
Wesleyan (2-20-1) 0 2 0 - 2
Middlebury (15-3-4) 2 2 3 - 7
SCORING
M-1st (15:32) - Julia Ireland (Jamie Harisiades, Nora Bergman)
M-1st (19:38) - Molly Vitt (Nora Bergman)
M-2nd (5:08) - Anna McNally (Maggie Melberg, Grace Waters)
M-2nd (6:01) - Erika Nakamura (Randi Dumont, Vitt)
W-2nd (14:01) - Sena Ito (Hannah Jackson, Rebecca Snelling)W-2nd (17:55) - Molly Friedemann (Julia Mulhern)
M-3rd (3:03) - Melberg (Ireland)
M-3rd (14:06) - Heather McCormick (Heidi Woodworth, Marjie Billings)
M-3rd (16:39) - PP: Nakamura (McCormick, Annmarie Cellino)
GOALTENDING (saves)
Lani Wright-M (40 min., 6 saves, 2 GA), Emma Lennon-M (20 min., 3 saves, 0 GA)
Rachel Stemerman-W (60 min., 41 saves, 7 GA)
