The top-seeded Middlebury women's hockey overcame a pair of one-goal deficits, as the Panthers earned a 3-2 triumph over fourth-seeded Hamilton (12-10-0) on Saturday in front of a large crowd in Kenyon Arena. Middlebury (23-0-0) advances to the NESCAC Championship game for the 17th time and will face third-seeded Amherst at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday.

The Panthers remain the lone undefeated team in the country and extended their winning streak to 23 consecutive victories, one shy of the program record set over parts of the 2004-05 season and 2005-06 seasons. Middlebury's appearance in the conference title game is the seventh-straight year the team has advanced to the finals.

After the teams traded unsuccessful power plays in the opening five minutes of the contest, the Continentals struck for the initial tally. Nancy Loh had a shot from point-blank range denied by Middlebury goalie Sophia Merageas, but Loh tucked in her own rebound at the 7:20 mark. The hosts pulled even with 5:26 on the clock on a pass from behind the net by Jenna Letterie to Madie Leidt in the slot. Leidt delivered a one-timer into the top-left corner of the net for her conference-leading 17th goal of the season.

Hamilton reclaimed its advantage 3:08 into the middle stanza, as Jess Haviland was camped out at the left post and knocked in a rebound for a 2-1 lead. The Panthers pulled even when Claudia Vira intercepted a Continental clearing attempt, skated to the top of the circles and fired a shot over Molnar's glove with 9:07 on the clock. Middlebury went in front for the first time with 3:14 left in the period, as Eva Hendrikson sent a shot from the right point that was deflected in by Caroline Cutter for a 3-2 cushion.

In the final frame, Hamilton pressed for the equalizer and had quality back-to-back chances with just over five minutes left in the contest. Merageas thwarted Haviland from close range and swept away the rebound, before handling a shot through traffic from the point by Abby Kuhns. The Continentals twice pulled Molnar in the closing minutes, but Merageas stopped the only shot she faced in that time to preserve the 3-2 win and a spot in the championship.

Merageas finished with 16 saves to improve to 16-0-0 on the season, while Molnar had 35 stops for Hamilton. The Continentals went 1-2 on the power play and muted all three Middlebury advantages.