Fourth-ranked Middlebury returned from the semester break with a 4-1 road win at Utica on Wednesday afternoon. The Panthers return to action this Friday (7:00) and Saturday (3:00) when they host Wesleyan in a pair of NESCAC games. Middlebury improves to 6-1-1, while UC falls to 4-6 on the season. 

Middlebury opened the scoring just over halfway through the first period when Sara Ugalde netted her second of the year. Molly Downey skated behind the Utica goal and fed the puck in front to a wide open Ugalde, who fired a rocket off the crossbar and in to put the Panthers up 1-0.

Five minutes later, the Panthers struck again when Katie Mandigo put in her second of the year assisted by Ugalde and Downey. Downey found Ugalde on the side board and then fed Mandigo in the high slot who was able to put a shot just over the outstretched pad of Hamel.

The only scoring in the middle frame came at 6:08 as Madeline Joyce put in her second of the year assisted by Emily Fluke. Jennifer Hamel made a good save on Fluke's initial shot, but Joyce was there to pick up the rebound to put Middlebury up 3-0.

With just over seven minutes remaining in the game, Fluke was able to bury a goal of her own.  She received a long pass from Madison Styrbicki and went in one-on-one.  Fluke shot a long puck five feet inside the blue line that fooled Hamel and ended up in the back of the net.  

Just 37 seconds later, Megan Myers was able to get Utica on the board as she netted her team-leading sixth goal of the year. Myers skated into the Panther zone and fired a hard shot that went through Middlebury goalie Annabelle Jones' five hole. 

Jones turned away 15 shots to earn the win, while Hamel made 28 saves for the home team.

BOX SCORE