The Middlebury field hockey team erased an early two-goal deficit, but Hamilton tallied twice in the second half, pulling out a 4-2 win over the third-ranked Panthers in NESCAC play Sunday. The loss was the first of the season for Middlebury as it fell to 4-1 and 3-1 in league action, while the Continentals are 3-3 and 2-2 in the NESCAC. Middlebury was playing its second game in as many days after knocking off top-ranked Bowdoin on Saturday. The Panthers travel to 13th-ranked Skidmore Wednesday at 4:00 p.m.

The hosts got off to a fast start, scoring twice in the first five minutes of the game with Michaela Giuttari getting the initial tally after 1:49 of action. Caroline Ames hammered a shot that was blocked and the ball popped up in the air over to Giuttari at the right post, where she batted it into the cage. Ames made it a two-goal lead for Hamilton minutes later with a shot from the top of the arc on a penalty corner.

Middlebury stormed back late in the opening half with two goals in a span of 1:56. After a dominating stretch that saw the Panthers keep the ball deep in the Continentals' half of the field, Lauren Schweppe controlled a loose ball, moved a few feet into the top of the circle and smacked a shot past Hamilton goalie Julia Booth to make it a 2-1 contest. Schweppe's goal came with 4:07 left in the opening period and was her second of the season.

The Panthers tied the game just under two minutes later when Annie Leonard collected her own rebound and put a high shot into the Continental cage for her team-leading ninth goal of the year. The goal came with 2:13 on the clock and the score held until halftime.

Eva Rosencrans gave Hamilton the lead for good 5:30 into the second half. Giuttari passed the ball ahead to Rosencrans in the circle, who maneuvered around the charging goalie and swept the ball into the lower left-hand corner of the cage.

The Continentals added an insurance goal to make it 4-2, capitalizing on a penalty corner with 8:49 left in regulation. Rosencrans passed to an open Margaret Revera on the right side and her shot was redirected into the cage by Tatiana Bradley for her third goal of the year.

The Panthers kept pushing in the final seven minutes as they managed three corners and three shots, two of which were saved by Booth, but the hosts held their ground to earn the win.

Booth finished with eight saves for Hamilton, while Emily Miller suffered the loss in goal for Middlebury. The Panthers led in both shots (18-7) and penalty corners (15-6).