The third-ranked Middlebury women's lacrosse team used both a balanced scoring output and a strong defensive effort during a 17-6 victory over Bates on Saturday at Garcelon Field. After playing their fourth game in the last eight days, the Panthers (7-0, 4-0) have a couple days off before hosting Plymouth State on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.
 
Middlebury got on the scoreboard first with a goal from Jane Earley while the visitors were a player down at the 12:39 mark of the initial quarter. Following a free-position tally just over a minute later by Bates' Dana Swartz, the Panthers rattled off the final seven goals of the quarter for an 8-1 lead. Susan Rowley recorded a pair of markers during the run, while Earley tallied two free-position scores.
 
Kate Loughlin pulled Bates (2-5, 0-4) to within six (8-2) on a goal with 10:33 left in the second quarter. Middlebury responded with five-straight goals to end the stanza, as Anna Spehr and Jamee Numan each had a pair of goals for a 13-2 halftime lead. The goals are the first two for Numan in her collegiate career. 
 
Following the halftime break, the Bobcats posted the initial two goals of the third quarter from Caroline Taggart and Loughlin just 47 seconds apart to pull to within nine (13-4) with 12:03 left. Rowley found the back of the Bobcat net twice over the rest of the quarter, sandwiched around a goal by Bates' Sophie Scola, for a 15-5 Middlebury lead heading to the fourth.
 
Kate Burke scored her first collegiate goal on a free-position attempt with 11:33 left, while Abby Hillebrecht also posted her initial score as a Panther less than two minutes later for a 12-goal advantage (17-5). Bates' Jordan Tveter bounced a goal into the Panther net with 6:23 showing on the clock for the final 17-6 score.
 
Rowley paced the Panther attack, which saw nine different players score a goal, finishing with four tallies. Spehr (2G, 2A), Lily Riseberg (1G, 3A) and Earley (3G, A) each recorded four-point contests for Middlebury. Hope Shue concluded the game with four draw controls, while Erin Nicholas and Hillebrecht each had three. Annie Enrietto (7-0) earned the win in front of the goal for Middlebury, recording five saves over 30:00 of play, Allie Battista posted a save in the third quarter, while Gina Driscoll tallied a pair of saves in her first collegiate action over the final frame.
 
Loughlin and Dana Swartz each scored twice to lead Bates, while Chloe Robinson posted three draw controls. Cammie Lavoie picked up four groundballs and tallied eight saves in goal for the Bobcats. 
 
The Panthers converted 5-8 free-position attempts, while limiting Bates to just one goal in five chances.