The top-ranked Middlebury women's hockey team edged #10 Colby 3-2 on Friday evening. The Panthers improve to 12-0 overall and 7-0 in the NESCAC as they remain one of just two unbeaten teams in Division III. Middlebury and the Mules (8-2, 4-2) are back in action on Saturday with a 3:00 p.m. puck drop. 
 
Colby's McKinley Karpa had a great chance to open the scoring just 2:42 into the game, but her shot from the left faceoff circle was denied by Middlebury goalie Sophia Merageas. 
 
Madie Leidt looked to break the scoreless draw with 4:25 expired in the second stanza during a power play, but her wrister from the top of the left faceoff circle was thwarted by netminder Nina Prunster. Middlebury was relentless, with another great chance to score by Jenna Letterie at the 7:24 mark. Katie Hargrave sent a pass from behind the net to Letterie on the right point, but Letterie's one-timer was denied by Prunster. The Panthers broke through at the 9:22 mark during a power play. An initial bid from the slot by Cat Appleyard was stopped by Prunster, but Appleyard was there to one-time the rebound to make it 1-0. Middlebury extended the advantage to 2-0 with 15:55 expired on a power play when Kylie Quinlan slipped the puck into the goal after a scramble in front of the net. 
 
The Panthers increased their lead to 3-0 with 5:10 expired in the final period. A shot by Hargrave drew Prunster to the left side of the goal before the goalie and several players got tangled up. Appleyard was able to collect the loose puck and send a pass to Hargrave in the slot who one-timed the puck to Leidt, before Leidt fired the shot into the vacant net for her team-leading 11th goal of the season. Colby got on the board, scoring with 12:56 showing on the clock when Meg Rittenhouse tucked the puck under the crossbar during a power play to make it 3-1. The Mules pulled their goalie with 1:29 left on the clock and made it an exciting final minute. With 11.6 seconds remaining, Jillian Mozzocca flipped the puck into the far side of the goal to make it 3-2, but Middlebury held Colby off in the final seconds to secure the victory.
 
Merageas made 21 saves in goal for the Panthers, while Prunster stopped 46 shots. Middlebury held a commanding 49-23 advantage in shots.