Middlebury's Cat Appleyard scored with 4:11 gone in the third period, lifting the top-seeded Panther women's hockey team to a 2-1 triumph over ninth-seeded Connecticut College on Sunday in a NESCAC Quarterfinal in Kenyon Arena. With the win, Middlebury (22-0-0) advances to the conference semifinals for the 19th time in the last 20 years. The Camels finish their season at 9-15-2. The Panthers will take on fourth-seeded Hamilton at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 5, while second-seeded Colby meets third-seeded Amherst in the other semifinal at 4:30 p.m. The championship game will take place on Sunday, March 6 at 2:00 p.m. with all three games taking place in Chip Kenyon '85 Arena.

Middlebury jumped on the scoreboard first with 4:27 elapsed in the opening period on a delayed penalty with an extra skater. Julia Johnson slapped a shot from the right circle that trickled through traffic and went over the shoulder of goalie Abby Wieczorek for Johnson's third goal of the season. Connecticut College nearly tied the game halfway through the period when a shot by Abby Munger glanced off the pipe from the right point. The hosts kept the pressure on, but Wieczorek recorded eight saves over the remainder of the stanza to keep the contest at 1-0 headed to the second period.

The middle frame saw the Camels knot the score on a power play at the 10:09 mark. An initial shot from the right side by Miyu Miyazaki was saved by Panther goalie Sophia Merageas. Following a scramble just outside the crease, Camile Phelan tapped in the loose puck to tie the score at 1-1.

The third period saw Middlebury control possession early. With just over four minutes elapsed, Wieczorek denied bids by Appleyard and Eva Hendrickson on the doorstep. After a turnover by the Camels, Appleyard wristed the puck up and over Wieczorek's right pad for a 2-1 Panther lead at 4:11. The Camels had a great opportunity with 5:20 remaining on the rush, but a wrist shot from Rylie Griffith was denied by Merageas' right pad. Connecticut College pulled Wieczorek with 1:38 left and seconds later went on the power play, but the Panthers killed it off and secured the 2-1 victory.

Appleyard had a goal and an assist in Sunday's win, giving her five goals and six helpers over the last four games. The power-play goal was her NESCAC-best ninth of the season and second game-winning tally.

Merageas stopped 18-of-19 shots for the Panthers, while Wieczorek had 28 saves.