The top-ranked Middlebury women's hockey team is off to its best start in program history, as the Panthers (19-0, 13-0) handled visiting Williams 6-1 on Tuesday. Middlebury concludes the regular season hosting Bowdoin for a two-game series beginning on Friday at 7:00 p.m., while the Ephs (11-9-0, 7-8-0) are home on Monday at 6:00 p.m. against Worcester State.

Middlebury's 19-0 start tops the mark of 18-straight wins to open season by the 2005-06 squad and it is the second-longest winning streak in program history. The Panthers are also the lone remaining unbeaten team in Division III.

Defender Alexis Ryan skated in her 100th career game for Middlebury. 

The hosts jumped out to a 1-0 advantage at the 6:08 mark of the opening period, as Caroline Cutter netted her first collegiate goal. Cutter skated through the slot and redirected a pass from Jordan Hower. The teams traded opportunities late in the stanza with Middlebury's Eva Hendrikson one-timing a shot off the right post, while Williams' Maddie Tix deflected a shot by Maddie Zack just wide in the closing minute.

The Panthers protected their one-goal lead midway through the second frame, muting back-to-back power-play chances for the Ephs. Middlebury's Kate Dudley later lifted a shot from the left circle over the shoulder of Williams's goalie Amanda Lackmann with 5:46 on the clock for a two-goal edge. The Panthers increased the margin to 3-0 in the final minute when Julia Johnson's wrister from the right point found its way through traffic and into the net at the 19:07 mark.

Middlebury made it 4-0 with 1:02 expired in the third period when Maddie Bayard tapped in a rebound from the top of the crease. Cat Appleyard got the hosts on the scoreboard again two minutes later, knocking in a rebound on a shot by Hendrikson for a power-play tally.

Williams got on the board with 11:30 on the clock, as Brynn Puppe whipped a shot from the left boards that slipped through Panther goalie Sophia Merageas. That goal was the first allowed by Middlebury in the last 265:53 of game action.

The Panthers made the final 6-1 with 55.4 seconds left in the contest when Appleyard netted her second of the night with the team on the power play.

Merageas stopped 14-15 shots to earn the win for Middlebury, while Lackmann finished with 34 saves for the Ephs. The Panthers went 2-4 on the power play and erased all three advantages by Williams.