The top-ranked Middlebury (18-0-0, 12-0-0) women's hockey team posted its third-consecutive shutout and ninth of the season, as Sophia Merageas made 21 saves in a 5-0 NESCAC win at Trinity (6-9-1, 2-7-0) on Saturday. The Panthers return to action next Friday with a 7:00 p.m. game at Williams.

The 18-0 start matches the best start in the program's history, tying the 2005-06 team who started their season with 18-consecutive victories. The Panthers are also the lone remaining unbeaten team in Division III.  

Middlebury opened the scoring with 6:26 elapsed in the first period when Alexis Ryan wristed a shot from the left slot for the 1-0 lead.

In the second stanza, the visitors scored three times, including a power-play tally for a four-goal advantage. After dumping the puck into the zone, Katie Hargrave found Jenna Letterie between the circles for a one-timer with 2:10 gone for a 2-0 lead. Claudia Vira increased the Panther lead to 3-0, taking advantage of the extra skater when she blasted a slap shot from the left point at the 5:22 mark. Kate Dudley capped the scoring in the period with her first collegiate tally, poking in the loose puck just outside the crease at 19:06 for the 4-0 lead.

In the third period, Vira recorded her second goal of the afternoon just 1:22 into the frame, ripping a one-timer from the left point that worked its way through traffic for the final 5-0 decision. Vira finished the two games against the Bantams with three scores.

Sabrina Kim tallied three assists in the contest for Middlebury, while Raia Schulter added a pair of helpers.

The shutout was Merageas' fourth of the season, while Hannah LeClair had 44 stops for the Bantams.