The Middlebury field hockey team became the first program in NESCAC history to win five-consecutive conference championships. The Panthers shutout Tufts 2-0 on Sunday in a battle between a pair of top-10 nationally-ranked teams. Middlebury also becomes the first team in conference history to win nine field hockey titles. The Panthers receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and wait for their opponent when the field is announced late Sunday evening. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Panthers looked to get on the scoreboard with 3:21 elapsed in the first quarter. Katie George drove down the right side, but her bid was saved by Tufts' goalie Sam Gibby using her pads. 
• The Jumbos had four penalty corners in the opening frame, but the Middlebury defensive unit didn't allow a shot on goal.
• Tufts produced a quality scoring chance 8:34 into the second quarter. Rachel Scrivanich ripped a shot from the right, but Panther goalie Grace Harlan thwarted the attempt. The rebound came to the stick of Andrea DelGiudice, but her shot skidded wide to the left.
• With 1:04 left on the second-quarter clock following a penalty corner, the Panthers grabbed a 1-0 edge when George redirected a pass from Sadie LeStage on the doorstep for the one-goal lead heading into the halftime break.
• Scoring opportunities were hard to come by in the third quarter, with Middlebury manufacturing the lone chance in the waning seconds. George drove down the left side, but Gibby saved the initial shot. Audrey Lazar collected the rebound, but a great defensive save by Tufts' Gabby Sousa kept the Panther lead at 1-0 going to the final frame.
• Middlebury tallied its second goal just 53 seconds into the fourth stanza. George tipped an initial pass toward Lazar before Lazar poked the loose ball under a diving Gibby for the 2-0 advantage.
• The Jumbos had their best chance with just over two minutes left, but Ashley Zolin's blast from the left side was steered just wide by Harlan's pad to preserve the 2-0 shutout.

NOTES

• The shutout was the second of the weekend and 21st of Harlan's career, moving her into a tie for the program record.
• George placed her name in the NESCAC Tournament record books. She scored five goals and 11 points, putting her in a fourth-place tie in both categories.
• George's goal in the second quarter gives her five game-winning goals, tying her for the league lead.
• Middlebury earned its NESCAC-best 40th victory (40-13) in the conference tournament.
• The 11 goals scored by the Panthers mark the sixth-most tallies in NESCAC Championship history.
• The shutout was the team's ninth this season, as the Panthers own an impressive 0.67 goals against average.