The Middlebury women's lacrosse team earned the right to play for the program's sixth NCAA Division III Championship as the Panthers defeated top-ranked  Cortland State (21-1) 16-11 in a semifinal game at Talen Energy Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Fifth-ranked Middlebury (21-1) faces seventh-ranked Trinity, who defeated #6 Franklin & Marshall later in the day 6-2, at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday in the national title game.

Middlebury ended the defending champion's 40-game winning streak, while winning its 11th- straight game. The contest was a rematch of last year's semifinal where Cortland State posted a 19-12 win. The win puts the Panthers back in the championship game for the first time since 2004, when they captured their fifth national title.

The Red Dragons opened the scoring 23 seconds into the game when Ashley Gentile tallied. Cortland State won the ensuing draw and had another quality scoring chance by Nicole Bello, but a nice save by Katie Mandigo turned the ball over to the Panther offense.

Middlebury made the most of the possession as Bridget Instrum worked her way from behind the Red Dragon net to the top of the crease and fired a low shot to tie the game at a goal apiece. The Panthers took the lead with 26:20 showing on the clock when Chrissy Ritter ran straight through the middle of Cortland State's defense and laced a shot into the upper corner of the net.

Laurel Pascal increased Middlebury's lead to 4-1 scoring consecutive goals. Her first tally, which was her 200th career point, came on a spin move to beat a defender and the second on a free-position attempt with 22:54 remaining.

The Red Dragons netted the next three goals with Hannah Elmer getting the final one during the stretch after a failed clear attempt by the Panthers with 12:20 left in the half.

Middlebury regained the lead when Instrum was patient with the ball on the left wing and used a burst of speed to get past the defender before ripping a high shot for a 5-4 lead. Instrum made it a two-goal advantage with 3:39 left in the half, capitalizing on a spin move along the crease resulting in her 60th goal of the season.

Cortland State closed the margin to 6-5 with 3:03 left in the half on a goal by Tara Monaghan, but Alli Sciarretta gave the Panthers a huge boost going into the break, scoring inside the right post with less than a second left in the opening period for a 7-5 lead.

Key plays at both ends of the field got Middlebury off to a good start in the second half. Ritter caused a turnover and quickly collected the ground ball, while Pascal turned the possession into a goal with a shot from six meters out. Mary O'Connell brought the score to 9-5 just over three minutes into the half, dropping down to slide a low shot into the Red Dragon net. Megan Griffin made it a three-goal run to start the half with her first tally of the game from the right side of the net.

Following a timeout, the Red Dragons netted a quick goal, but the Panthers countered. O'Connell made the score 11-6 only 12 seconds after Cortland State scored. Instrum increased the lead to 12-6 (21:14), but the Red Dragons took advantage of a Panther player serving a penalty when Bello tallied on a free-position attempt.

Middlebury struck quickly again with the next two goals coming in a span of 11 seconds. O'Connell charged the net and dished a short pass to Sciarretta for the first goal, while O'Connell made it 14-7 off an assist from Ritter, who attacked the net from the right side.

Back-to-back goals by Cortland State trimmed the difference to 14-9, but Pascal used a quick-stick as she was falling to the ground to touch in a pass from O'Connell. O'Connell's fourth goal of the game increased the Panther lead to 16-9 with 11:12 remaining.

Cortland State reached double figures to make it a 16-10 game with 7:37 left in regulation on a goal by Kristen Ohberg, but Mandigo made a timely save a minute later on a point-blank shot by Monaghan. The Red Dragons added a late goal in the final minute to make the final 16-11.

Mandigo backstopped the win with a career-high 14 saves and snared five ground balls. The defense, which held the Red Dragons to a season-low 12 goals, six goals under their season average, received three caused turnovers each from Ritter and Evie Keating, while Alex White scooped up five ground balls and Ritter had four.

O'Connell had a big game offensively for the Panthers with four goals and two assists, while Pascal and Instrum each scored four times. Sciarretta chipped in with two goals and two assists.

Monaghan paced Cortland State with four goals, while Gentile helped the Red Dragons gain possession with 11 draw controls. Goalie Jaclyn Beshlian made 14 saves as Middlebury held a 43-32 advantage in shots, as well as a 26-18 edge in ground balls.