Middlebury's Audrey Lazar recorded a hat trick to help propel the second-ranked Panthers past #3 Rowan 4-0 in NCAA Semifinal action on Friday. Middlebury advances to the title game and will look to capture its fifth-straight national championship when it squares off with #4 Johns Hopkins on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Middlebury had a great chance to get on the board with just 1:15 elapsed in the opening quarter. Katie George dribbled the ball into the circle and made a move around charging goalie Abby Hainsworth, but George's attempt was denied by a defensive save from Liz Fox. Lazar dove to try and tip in the rebound, but her shot went wide right.
• Less than two minutes later, the Panthers broke through on a similar play for the early 1-0 edge. George carried the ball into the circle and sent a nice feed to Lazar. The first shot by Lazar was thwarted by Hainsworth and the second attempt was blocked, but Lazar persisted and flicked her third attempt into the upper corner of the goal. 
• With 10:21 left in the stanza, the Profs had a great chance for the equalizer. Fox inserted a penalty corner, before Vanessa DiDonato rifled a shot from the top of the circle, but Middlebury's Charlotte Marks blocked the attempt. Tess Herman collected the rebound and fired an attempt on goal, but Panther goalie Grace Harlan came up with a critical save to keep Rowan off the scoreboard.
• Middlebury made it 2-0 with just under three minutes remaining in the quarter. Lilly Branka dribbled down the left sideline and sent a beautiful cross to the middle of the circle. Lazar was there to receive the pass, chipping the ball into the back of the cage. 
• The Panthers nearly tacked on another tally just over two minutes into the second frame. George intercepted a pass in the Middlebury defensive zone and sprinted down the field. She fed the ball to Lazar, but Hainsworth came charging out to deny the attempt. 
• The Profs looked to cut into the deficit with 9:31 left in the half. Kristiina Castagnola sent a long ball to Bridget Guinan whose sweeping shot from point-blank range was denied with a pad save by Harlan. 
• Out of the break, Rowan had back-to-back penalty corner opportunities. The Panthers did not allow a shot on the first attempt, before Harlan kicked away a bid by Julia Cavicchio on the second set piece.
• With 11:28 left in the third quarter, Middlebury increased its lead to 3-0. Branka worked the ball from the left sideline into the middle. Her pass was partially cleared by a Rowan defender, but George was there to collect the ball. With her back to the goal, George sent the ball to Grace Murphy at the top of the circle. Murphy rifled a shot through traffic and Lazar was there to one-time the ball through the five-hole of a sprawling Hainsworth, completing a hat trick. 
• Griffin looked to extend the Panther lead with 2:27 left in the third, but her lofted shot from the edge of the circle was thwarted with a great pad save from Hainsworth.
• With just under nine minutes to go, Rowan had a great opportunity to break into the scoring column. An initial shot by DiDonato was denied by Harlan, before the rebound attempt by Fox skirted just wide right. 
• The Profs did not let up in the waning minutes, producing a chance that looked to nearly go in the cage with 5:11 left. DiDonato barreled down the right sideline and sent the ball into the circle, but Julia Patrone's attempt from the doorstep was stopped by Harlan. 
• Middlebury made it 4-0 with 3:48 to go in the game. Georgianne Defeo pried the ball loose from a Rowan defender and sent a short pass to Caroline Segal, who tucked her backhanded shot inside the left pipe. 

 
NOTES

• Middlebury set a new program record during the contest, running its single-season goal total up to 105. The previous mark of 103 was set back in 2014.
• The Panthers increased their NCAA Tournament record to 52-16 and have won 19-straight contests dating back to 2017.
• The win marked head coach Katharine DeLorenzo's 350th victory at Middlebury. 
• Grace Harlan made six saves during the contest to earn her program-leading 24th career shutout.
• The Panthers have shut out 11 opponents this season, tying for first in the program's record book.
• Middlebury and Rowan met for the fourth time today, with the Panthers owning a 4-0 mark in the series. Last year the squads also faced off in the NCAA Semifinals, with Middlebury winning 4-1. 
• The Panthers will look to become one of just two programs in Middlebury history to capture five-straight NCAA Titles on Sunday.
• Middlebury will meet Johns Hopkins in the title game for the second year in a row. The Blue Jays enter the contest riding a 16-game winning streak and have shut out 16 opponents this year, including all three NCAA Tournament foes. 

POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE