Box Score The Middlebury women's lacrosse team scored six-straight goals at the end of the first half to break open a tight game as the Panthers handled the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 19-7 on Sunday. The 19 goals were a season-high for fourth-ranked Middlebury (4-0), as the team finished its season-opening road swing undefeated. Next up for the Panthers is the home opener on Saturday, when they host NESCAC opponent Wesleyan at noon.
The teams opened the scoring in a flurry, combining for three goals in a span of 39 seconds. The Engineers (2-2) struck first on a goal from Kira Schott 4:11 into the game. Middlebury's Bridget Instrum won the ensuing draw and set up a goal by Mary O'Connell to knot the contest at 1-1. That score came 10 seconds after MIT tallied. The hosts jumped ahead 2-1 just 19 seconds later, before the Panthers reeled off four-straight goals to take the lead. O'Connell scored one of those goals and set up two others, as Middlebury forged ahead 5-3.
The Engineers scored two of the next three goals to pull within one at 6-5 with 9:07 left before the break. The Panthers clamped down on the defensive end of the field by not allowing a goal the rest of the half, while scoring the final six goals. Kate Hodgson scored twice in that span and Hollis Perticone, Alli Sciarretta, Instrum and Hailey Cosseboom each tallied once as Middlebury led 12-5 at the break.
Middlebury continued to dominate in the second half, scoring the first three goals. O'Connell,
Henley Hall and Pascal each found the back of the net as the Panthers capped off a 9-0 run that carried over into the second half. Pascal's goal that ended the run put the guests in front 15-5 with 17:45 left in the contest.
MIT got back on the scoreboard with 15:26 left in the period on a goal by Cecelia McCormick, snapping Middlebury's impressive stretch of not allowing a goal for 23:41 of game time.
The Panthers had one last run of four-straight goals to take their biggest lead of the game at 19-6, before the Engineers finished the scoring with a goal with 2:39 showing on the clock.
Middlebury had a very balanced attack as 12 different players scored goals. O'Connell led that group with three goals and four assists, while Pascal, Instrum and Hodgson each tallied twice and had an assist. Sciarretta and Cosseboom chipped in with two goals each. Instrum led all players with five draw controls, while Maggie Caputi scooped up four ground balls and Evie Keating had three ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers.
Kate Furber (1 save) played the opening period between the pipes for Middlebury, while Madeleine Kinker and Alex Freedman split time in the second and each had two saves.
The Panthers held a decisive 43-14 in attempted shots won the battle for ground balls 24-11.
