The top-ranked Middlebury field hockey team scored three times in the opening quarter, topping #11 Bates 4-1. With the triumph, the Panthers tie the program's winning streak with 37 consecutive victories. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Sadie LeStage opened the scoring for the Panthers with a goal just under five minutes into the game. LeStage dribbled through a handful of Bates' players on the right sideline, before swiping a shot from the right post that tucked just inside the left pipe for the 1-0 edge.
• Middlebury doubles its lead at the 6:54 mark just after a penalty corner. Lilly Branka redirected an initial shot by Katie George, making it 2-0 with her fourth goal of the season.
• The Panthers struck again with just three seconds left in the initial stanza. After a penalty corner, Amy Griffin and Katherine Lantzy had a nice give-and-go at the top of the circle before Griffin slipped the ball past Bobcat goalie Kaili Jacobsen for the 3-0 advantage. 
• The second quarter was controlled by the defense, with Bates holding a slight 2-1 edge in shots.
• Much of the third session was controlled by Middlebury with five penalty corner opportunities thwarted by a strong Bobcat defense and goalie Grace Biddle. 
• Bates neatly scored with roughly four minutes left in the third quarter. Lauren Salazar stopped an insert by Brooke Moloney-Kolenberg during a penalty corner, before feeding a pass to Paige Cote on the right. Cote's initial bid was blocked by defender Charlotte Marks, but the Bobcats were awarded another penalty corner. Panther goalie Grace Harlan kicked away the second attempt by Molly Harman.
• Bates denied Middlebury a shutout with 11:29 left in the contest after a penalty corner. Cote's initial bid was blocked by a defender, sending the loose ball bouncing in front of the cage. Harlan got a pad on the ball and attempted to boot it out of danger, but Kami Lambert was there to sneak the rebound into the goal to make it 3-1.
• The Panthers closed out the scoring at the 52:37 mark when George flipped a backhanded attempt into the cage for the 4-1 final.

 
NOTES

• Harlan tallied her 50th career victory with a trio of saves, as she now owns an impressive 50-1 record in goal.  
• Griffin has tallied at least one point in six of Middlebury's seven games this season, leading the team with 16 points (6G, 4A). 
• The Panther's 37-game winning streak dates back to the 2019 season and includes a pair of NESCAC Championships and two NCAA Titles.