Middlebury scored once in each of the final three quarters and locked down on the defensive end to help propel the top-ranked Panthers past #2 Babson 3-0 in Friday's NCAA Semifinal action in Virginia. With its 30th-straight win, Middlebury will have a chance to capture its sixth-straight national title on Sunday in the championship tilt. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Beavers produced a quick chance nearly four minutes into the first quarter. Camille Marsh found space on the left side and her initial shot was blocked before ripping an attempt that Panther goalie KK Newton saved with her right pad.
• Babson had another opportunity 8:25 into play following a penalty corner, but Brianne McGrath's shot from just inside the arc was denied by a Middlebury defender.
• The Panthers looked to get on the scoreboard with 2:03 elapsed in the second stanza on a great individual effort. Katherine Lantzy weaved her way through several defenders from near midfield, rifling a shot that Babson goalie Bayla Furmanek saved with her right boot.
• Middlebury continued to apply pressure in the offensive end, breaking through following a penalty corner with 3:52 gone in the quarter. Caroline Segal inserted the ball to Sadie LeStage, who quickly fed a pass to a rushing Amy Griffin. Griffin blasted a shot that slipped between Furmanek's left pad and the right post for the 1-0 lead.
• The Beavers looked for a quick answer, inducing a trio of penalty corners. The best chance came on a bid from Sinead Walsh on the doorstep that Newton kicked away with her left pad to maintain the one-goal edge for the Panthers.
• Middlebury continued to tilt the field in its favor over the remainder of the half, earning several penalty corners. The greatest chance came with 1:14 left, but a shot by Lilly Branka on the left post was saved by Furmanek sprawling to her right to keep it 1-0 headed to halftime.
• The Panthers increased their advantage nearly seven minutes into the third frame following a penalty corner. Griffin's bid from the right was kicked by Furmanek's pad and headed toward the left post. Segal was there on the post and redirected the ball into the back of the cage for a 2-0 advantage.
• In the fourth quarter, Segal found space in the middle of the field seven minutes into action, but Furmanek saved the bid with her right pad to remain a 2-0 advantage.
• The Panthers capped the scoring with 1:21 left when Branka muscled in a shot on a nice pass from Segal for the final 3-0 score.

NOTES

• Segal assisted on the second and third goals in the victory, giving her a team-best 11 helpers.
• Newton posted her 10th individual shutout of the season, finishing with three saves.
• The defensive unit limited the Beavers to just five total shots in the contest and three on goal, including zero in the final two quarters.
• The team hasn't surrendered a tally in the last 255:13 of action.
• Middlebury has scored 104 times this season, marking the second-highest total in the program's single-season history. That output only trails last season's record by three.
• The Panthers haven't allowed a goal in 460:27 of NCAA Tournament play dating back to the 2021 season. The program last surrendered a tally in NCAA action to Johns Hopkins during the 2021 national championship game.
• The team tied a program single-season record with its 13th shutout, matching last's fall mark.
• Middlebury increased a pair of winning streaks with the triumph, picking up its 30th-consecutive victory dating back to the 2022 campaign. That mark ties for the third-longest streak in program history. It also earned its 32nd-straight victory away from Peter Kohn Field. 
• Friday's contest was the 12th meeting overall and the second in the NCAA Tournament between the Panthers and the Beavers, with Middlebury improving to 11-1 in the all-time series.

The Panthers advance to the title game and will look to capture its sixth-straight national championship when it squares off with #4 Johns Hopkins on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The meeting marks the third-consecutive season that the programs have played in the NCAA title contest.