The top-ranked Middlebury field hockey team kept its perfect record intact, coming away with a 7-1 triumph at Skidmore (5-4) on Tuesday. The Panthers (8-0), who have won 16-straight games, return to NESCAC play on Saturday, heading to Connecticut College for an 11:00 a.m. contest.

Middlebury took advantage of a couple of penalty corners in the opening period to claim an early lead. Grace Murphy blasted a shot from the top of the arc 3:38 into the contest for a 1-0 advantage. Less than four minutes later, the Panthers worked the ball to the right side off the insert to Erin Nicholas, who put a centering pass on the stick of Audrey Lazar that resulted in a 2-0 lead.

The Thoroughbreds made it a 2-1 game when Sofia Marshall found the back of the net on a sweeping shot, marking the first goal allowed in the opening half this season by Middlebury. The Panthers responded with two scores 42 seconds apart, as Nicholas converted from the left side and Katie George won a one-on-one battle with Skidmore goalie Victoria Bodnar for a 4-1 cushion.

The visitors had the best scoring chance in the second frame, as Nicholas rang a penalty stroke off the left post, keeping it a 4-1 score at the half.

In the third stanza, Middlebury increased the margin to 5-1, as Lazar redirected a pass from George with 5:40 expired. With her two goals, Lazar has scored twice in each of the last three games. Just 1:18 later, Isabel Chandler inserted a penalty corner, stepped to the side of the net and touched in a feed from Nicholas.

Middlebury's Lilly Branka accounted for the lone goal of the final 15 minutes, sweeping in a loose ball from in front of the net with just 1:01 expired.

Harlan earned the win in goal for the Panthers with one save, while Bodnar finished with eight stops.

Middlebury had a 25-3 advantage in shots and took 12 of the game's 15 penalty corners.