With an early 2-1 lead over visiting Amherst, Middlebury went on a 5-0 run en route to a 14-6 win over the Lord Jeffs at Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium on Wednesday. With the win, the 12th ranked Panthers (5-2, 3-2) extend their winning streak over Amherst (3-4, 2-3) to 24 straight games. During the penalty-free game, Middlebury held a 48-28 groundball advantage over the Jeffs.
Lightning in the area delayed the 4:30 p.m. start for 20 minutes, but it was the Panthers that struck quickly, netting two goals in the first 1:16 of action. Pete Smith set up both goals, including a quick strike by Brian Foster 16 seconds into the game. Thomas McDonnell cut the lead to 2-1 for Amherst at 4:07 in the first, collecting an in close feed from Evan Redwood.
The Panthers went on their decisive 5-0 run with 2:20 left in the quarter when Bart Witmer dodged off the right side for a driving goal at the doorstep. Peter Jennings took the ensuing faceoff for Middlebury, collected the ground ball and scampered in for a 4-1 lead six seconds later. Smith collected his game-high third assist 36 seconds later on a doorstep feed to Scott Redmond, ending the first quarter scoring at 5-1. Matt Virtue and David Hild added unassisted tallies early in the second quarter, building a 7-1 lead with 10:30 remaining. Both teams exchanged a pair of goals to close out the scoring as the Panthers took a 9-3 lead into intermission.
Middlebury added a pair of goals in the third quarter sandwiched between a goal from Amherst's Cole Cherney for an 11-4 lead heading into the fourth. Amherst added another goal to start the final quarter before a three-goal burst by the Panthers put the game out of reach for the Jeffs. Hild, Smith and Stew Kerr each added a goal for a commanding 14-5 lead with 4:53 left in the game. Amherst's Dan Routh added his second goal of the game, getting a low shot past reserve goalie Charles Ward, who replaced starter Ryan Deane late in the fourth quarter.
Smith led Middlebury with two goals and his game-high three assists, as Andrew Conner added two more goals with an assist. Hild chipped in two goals as eight other Panthers scored a goal in the win. Routh added a pair of goals and an assist and McDonnell also tallied two scores for Amherst. Deane earned the win in net for the Panthers, stopping 12 shots over 54:16 of action, allowing five goals, as Ward stopped a pair of shots over the final 5:44, allowing one score. Sam Jakimo played all 60 minutes in net for Amherst, stopping eight shots and allowing 14 goals.
Box score
