In a battle of the nation's top two teams, #1 Trinity (13-1, 8-1) earned a convincing 16-7 win over second-ranked Middlebury (11-2, 7-2) on Sheppard Field. The Bantams extended their nation's-best winning streak to 13 games with the win, taking over sole possession of first place in the league. The Panthers play their NESCAC regular-season finale at home Wednesday, before hosting a NESCAC Quarterfinal game next Saturday. The Bantams will visit Amherst on Wednesday, before also hosting a quarterfinal on Saturday.

Trinity scored three-straight goals in less than three minutes midway through the first half to turn a 2-2 tie into a 5-2 lead and never let its advantage slip to less than two goals the rest of the way. Karly Simpson started the run with a free-position shot at the 18:31 mark of the first half, while Martha Griffin and Allie Barrett added unassisted tallies moments later. Bridget Instrum brought the Panthers to within two scores at 5-3 with 12:46 on the clock, but Trinity scored two of the last three goals before the break for a 7-4 halftime lead. 

Trinity took a commanding 11-4 lead just over five minutes into the second half. Clare Lyne fed Barrett and Molly Cox for two goals, Simpson assisted Renee Olsen on another, while Cox finished the 4-0 spurt unassisted with 24:39 on the clock. Four of the game's final eight goals were scored on free-position shots, with Griffin scoring two of Trinity's last five tallies to lead all scorers with four goals and one assist for the contest.

Laurel Pascal scored twice for Middlebury, while Katie Ritter added one goal and one assist. Pascal had two ground balls, two draw controls and a caused turnover for Middlebury, while Madeleine Kinker made 10 saves in the goal.

Cox added a hat trick plus an assist, while Lyne totaled two goals and two assists, and Simpson had two goals and one assist. Griffin also notched a game-high eight draw controls and Lyne added five, while Lindsay Mullaney paced Trinity defensively with two ground balls and a caused turnover. Zoe Ferguson, now 7-0, and junior Emily Mooney combined for nine stops for the Bantams.

Trinity held a 16-9 edge in ground balls, outshooting the Panthers, 31-23 on the afternoon.