Molly Freeman tallied her first career hat trick, as fourth-ranked Middlebury rattled off four unanswered goals Saturday afternoon for a 6-2 NESCAC win over Colby (5-4, 1-4) on Kohn Field. The Panthers (6-1, 4-1) return to action Sunday when they host Rensselaer in a non-conference contest at 2:00 p.m., while Colby visits Husson on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

Middlebury was first to get on the scoreboard in the back and forth opening half. At the 4:29 mark, Pam Schulman dribbled down the right side and sent a ball into the circle. That pass connected with Freeman, who tapped the ball in from the left six yards away. The Panthers nearly doubled their lead in the 11th minute, but a Colby defensive save prevented a shot by Middlebury's Audrey Quirk from going into the goal.

The Mules knotted the score at 1-1 at 15:37 with a tip-in goal by McKayla Blanch from four yards out. Just 2:08 later, Middlebury regained the lead at 2-1 when Freeman scored her second of the game via an unassisted goal on a breakaway.

Trailing 2-1, Colby scored the equalizer at 28:07 when Megan Fortier blasted a shot from 12 yards away on the left that found the back of the Middlebury cage.

With just over a minute elapsed, the Panthers started their four-goal run. Schulman dribbled down the right and crossed the ball toward the goal, finding Bridget Instrum who tapped it in on the far post for the game-winning goal. In the 34th minute, Freeman completed her three-goal effort in style. She tipped in a centering pass from Anna Kenyon on the near post as the Panthers led 4-2 at the halftime break.

Middlebury added to its lead in the 51st minute, when Susanna Baker recorded her first career goal with an eight-yard shot from the right of the cage. Ahead 5-2, Lauren Schweppe concluded the scoring with her first career tally with a shot from six yards away.

Emily Miller picked up the win for Middlebury with a pair of saves, as the Panthers held a 20-6 advantage in shots and a 4-2 edge in penalty corners for the contest. Sarah Evans finished with eight stops for the Mules.