The sixth-seeded Middlebury women's soccer team knocked off third-seeded Amherst (10-3-2) by a 3-2 score in a NESCAC Quarterfinal game on Saturday afternoon. Amanda Hotvedt scored with just 22 seconds remaining to give the Panthers (7-4-5) the victory. Middlebury will visit top-seeded Williams for a semifinal game on Saturday at 11:00 a.m., while Bowdoin takes on Trinity in the other semifinal contest at 1:30 p.m. The winners meet Sunday at noon for the NESCAC Championship.

Middlebury got on the scoreboard first in the 10th minute of play. Alissa Huntington recorded her second goal of the season on a tally from point-blank range as Adrianna Gildner picked up the assist. Amherst evened the score at 1-1 eight minutes later when Emily Hester gained inside position and drew a foul in the box. Ashlyn Heller took the penalty kick and notched her third of the year.

The next 20 minutes of action were played in the midfield as neither team was able to gain momentum. With time ticking down in the half, Amherst's Rachael Abernethy broke the deadlock with less than eight minutes remaining. Abernethy positioned herself perfectly to one-touch a rebound into the net after Middlebury goalkeeper Kate Reinmuth turned away a shot by Hannah Guzzi.

Amherst clung to a 2-1 lead at the halftime break, but the Panthers quickly tied it at 2-2 when Katherine Hobbs beat a defender and rifled a shot from just outside the box over the outstretched arms of Amherst goalkeeper Holly Burwick. Hotvedt nearly gave the Panthers the lead with 25:30 left on the second-half clock, but her shot from inside the box was turned away by Burwick with a diving save to her right.

Maeve McNamara had a dangerous opportunity for the Jeffs with six minutes left in regulation. Winning a footrace from midfield with her defender, McNamara sent a shot from the top of the box inches over the Panther goal.

Tied at 2-2, Hotvedt scored her fourth goal of the year with 22 seconds remaining. Hobbs took a throw from Reinmuth and raced up the field before sending a pass into space behind the Amherst back line. Hotvedt quickly touched the ball past the Amherst keeper and sent the ball into an open net.

Middlebury held the advantage in both shots (14-9) and corner kicks (3-2). Burwick recorded six saves for the Jeffs in the losing effort, while Reinmuth registered four stops in the victory.