The Middlebury women's basketball team challenged #15 Springfield (15-0) into the fourth quarter, but an 11-0 run by the Pride lifted the visitors to a 69-56 victory on Tuesday in Pepin Gym. The Panthers (7-7) return to NESCAC play on Saturday hosting Williams at 2:00 p.m., while Springfield entertains Wellesley on the same day with a 1:00 p.m. start.

The Pride netted the initial four points of the contest, but three-pointers by Reagan McDonald and Bethany Lucey quickly pulled the hosts even at 6-6 with 7:00 on the clock. The game was tied three more times in the frame, with the Panthers taking the lead at 16-14 after the first 10 minutes of play on a driving layup by Alexa Mustafaj.

After a free throw by McDonald gave Middlebury a 17-14 edge early in the second stanza, the visitors responded with a 10-0 run to take a 24-17 advantage with 6:24 remaining. Grace Dzindolet accounted for half the points, hitting once from behind the arc and another from in the paint. The Panthers finished the half with a modest 7-2 burst, closing the margin to 30-26 at the break.

The hosts had a strong start to the third quarter, tying the game at 30-30 on buckets by Emily Downer and Mustafaj. The game was knotted three more times before Middlebury claimed a 43-40 edge with 2:23 showing on the scoreboard. Gianna Palli gave the Panthers that lead on a fast-break layup. Springfield netted six of the final eight points, making it a 46-45 Pride advantage with 10 minutes left to play.

In the final period, Palli drained a three-pointer on the team's second possession for a 48-46 lead, but that turned out to be the last advantage for the hosts. Springfield rattled off 11-straight points for a 57-48 cushion in the closing minutes. The Pride secured the win, going 8-8 from the charity stripe in the last 39 seconds for the 69-56 win.

McDonald paced the Panthers with 17 points, including four three-pointers, while Palli had 12 and Mustafaj added 11. Lucey had a balanced game with nine points and a team-high seven rebounds.

For the Pride, Dzindolet led all scorers with 24 points, while Sam Hourihan netted 13 points and Sidney Wentland added 10. Wentland and Hourihan each pulled down eight boards.

Springfield entered the game one of nine remaining teams in Division III that were undefeated.