The second-ranked Middlebury field hockey team will host the NESCAC Championship weekend November 5-6 on Kohn Field. The top-seeded and four-time defending conference champions continue their quest for the program's ninth title when they play fifth-seeded Williams on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. in semifinal action. Second-seeded Tufts and No. 3 seed Trinity square off in the second semifinal at 1:30 p.m. The semifinal winners will play in the championship game on Sunday at 12:00 p.m.
 
ABOUT MIDDLEBURY

• Middlebury defeated eighth-seeded Hamilton 5-1 in the NESCAC Quarterfinals. The win was fueled by two goals from NESCAC Player of the Week Katie George.
• The Panthers have advanced to the semifinals in each of the last 10 tournaments. 
• Middlebury earned the top seed for the fifth year in a row and the ninth time overall.
• The Panthers claimed the 2021 NESCAC Title in thrilling fashion, battling back from a 3-0 deficit to edge Bowdoin 4-3.
• Middlebury made its 22nd appearance in the tournament last weekend and is one of just two programs (Bowdoin) to qualify every year since its inception in 2000. Both squads are tied for the most championships with eight apiece.
• The program has claimed the most NESCAC Tournament victories and has a stellar 38-13 all-time record in the conference championship.
• Middlebury set a program record with the nation's longest winning streak earlier this season. The team won 42-straight games, a streak dating back to 2019. The previous program mark of 38 dated all the way back to the 1970s. The squad also ran its consecutive wins on Kohn Field to 51. 
• Middlebury features a balanced offensive output, with 17 players recording a goal and 21 tallying a point. 
• The Panthers rank in the top-five spots in Division III in goals per game (5.31, second), scoring margin (+4.56, second), points per game (13.50 PPG, third) and penalty corners per game (12.69, third).

PANTHERS TO WATCH

• Amy Griffin leads the NESCAC in points (43) and is second in goals (16) and assists (11). She ranks 19th in Division III in points per game (2.69). Griffin had a streak of scoring at least one point in 10-straight contests earlier this season and has at least one point in 14 of 16 games. She recorded a hat trick in back-to-back contests during the middle of the season.
• George is tied for the NESCAC lead with four game-winning goals, including the decisive score in the victory over the Continentals. She is tied for second on the team with five assists, while her 10 goals rank third. George has at least one point in six of the last seven contests. 
• Panthers Lilly Branka (11) and Audrey Lazar (10) each have double-digit goals (10), helping to fuel the potent offensive output.
• The Middlebury defensive unit has surrendered just 12 goals this season, anchored by captain Grace Harlan in the goal. Harlan has started all 16 contests and recently moved into second place in the program's career record books with 19 shutouts. Harlans leads the NESCAC and ranks 11th nationally with a 0.81 goals against average (GAA).
• Charlotte Marks, Meg Shelburne and Emily Stone have been mainstays for the Panther defense this season. Marks plays a pivotal role as a center back and has logged the most minutes by a field player (848) on the team, while Stone is right behind with 828 minutes. Marks has stepped forward to record assists in each of the last two games, the first points of her career.

ABOUT WILLIAMS

• Seventh-ranked Williams secured the fifth seed in the NESCAC Tournament for the second-straight season.
• The Ephs earned a spot in the semifinal round with a 2-1 upset of No. 4 seed Amherst.
• Williams had its modest six-game winning streak snapped when the Panthers posted a 4-1 triumph in the regular-season finale.
• The Ephs return to the semifinals after a one-year hiatus and are making their fifth appearance on championship weekend in the last six seasons.

EPHS TO WATCH

• Emily Batchelor paces the NESCAC with 19 goals and is second in the league with 42 points (19G, 4A). 
• Kiki Higgins (7G, 7A) has a team-best seven assists, while Pilar Torres (6G, 5A), Catherine Torres (5G, 3A) and Faith Stineman (3G, 4A) each have double-figure point totals. 
• Addie Sidles, Jacqui Sandor and Linda Bibeau have been constant presences for the Eph defense throughout the season. Sidles has logged a team-best 966 minutes, while Bibeau (901) has also played more than 900 minutes. 
• Carson Stephenson and Gates Tenerowicz have split time in front of the Eph goal. Stephenson has started each contest with a 10-3 record, collected 22 saves with a 0.81 GAA and ranks second in the league with a .759 save percentage. Tenerowicz has played in 15 contests and logged nearly 451 minutes with 20 saves and a 1.20 GAA.

SERIES HISTORY

• The Panthers and the Ephs have met 57 times with Middlebury owning a 33-21-2 advantage in the all-time series that dates back to 1973. 
• The Panthers picked up a 4-1 victory in the regular-season finale on October 25.
• Middlebury is 3-4 against Williams in the NESCAC Championship, including a 3-0 quarterfinal triumph in 2011. The three-goal difference was the only meeting that hasn't been decided by one goal. 
• The Panthers and the Ephs have played twice in the NESCAC Semifinals, with Williams winning in 2002 (2-1) and 2005 (1-0).

TRINITY NOTES

• The Panthers own a 31-10 advantage in the all-time series with Trinity.
• The No. 3 seed Bantams snapped a pair of streaks for Middlebury with their 2-1 victory on October 15. 
• Middlebury and Trinity have played six times in the NESCAC Tournament, with the Panthers claiming five of those meetings. Middlebury recently earned a 4-0 win in the 2021 NESCAC Semifinals and a 3-1 triumph during the 2019 NESCAC Quarterfinal round.
• The Bantams shut out sixth-seeded Bowdoin 2-0 in the NESCAC Quarterfinals to advance to the championship weekend.

TUFTS NOTES

• Middlebury possesses a 24-9 record in the all-time series against Tufts, winning the last four meetings and eight of the previous nine.
• The Panthers and Jumbos have met six times in the NESCAC Tournament, as Middlebury is 5-1 in those meetings. 
• The two teams have squared off in the championship bout on three occasions (2016, 2018 and 2019). Tufts won 3-1 in 2016, while Middlebury claimed the 2018 (1-0) and 2019 titles (3-2 OT).
• The Panthers defeated the Jumbos 4-0 during the regular season in Massachusetts on October 22.
• Second-seeded Tufts edged #7 seed Bates 1-0 in the NESCAC Quarterfinals.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

• Quarterfinals occurred at the top-four seeds on Saturday, October 29. The rest of the tournament will be hosted by Middlebury on Saturday, November 5 (Semifinals) and Sunday, November 6 (Championship). 
• Championship Central
• NESCAC Championship Weekend Announcement