The top-ranked Middlebury women's lacrosse team scored Saturday's first four goals and never looked back during a 16-9 victory over #5 Tufts in a rematch of last spring's NCAA Championship game. The Panthers increased their overall winning streak to 14-straight triumphs and are one of just five teams left nationally with unbeaten records.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Middlebury raced out to a 4-0 lead in the first 6:19 of the first quarter, highlighted by a hat trick from Jane Earley.
• The Jumbos cut the deficit in half (4-2) with a goal from Madeline Delaney and a free-position bouncing tally by Emma Joyce less than a minute apart.
• The Panthers responded with a pair of free-position markers from Hope Shue, including a top-shelf tally while the hosts were a player up, for a 6-2 advantage after one quarter.
• Both teams locked down defensively over the first 8:30 of the low-scoring second frame. Caroline Messer pushed the lead to 7-2 on a free-position bouncing goal into the lower-right corner.
• Tufts pulled to within four (7-3) on Joyce's second goal of the day with 5:01 left before halftime.
• Middlebury regained the five-goal edge when Kelcey Dion scored with 31 seconds remaining on a fadeaway shot with the possession clock winding down.
• The Jumbos sliced the lead to three (8-5) on a goal into the top-right corner by Ella Lesperance and a free-position tally by Caroline Conaghan.
• The Panthers responded with the ensuing four goals over nearly eight minutes of action. Earley found a cutting Maggie Coughlin to start the run, while a jumping goal with a top-shelf finish by Niki Mormile highlighted the spurt.
• Much like the third quarter, Tufts recorded the first two goals of the fourth stanza, drawing to within five (12-7) on a shot by Joyce into the upper-left corner with 1:51 expired.
• Dion answered 36 seconds later and thwarted the Jumbo momentum, ripping a shot over the shoulder of goalie Courtney Kaufman. 
• Rowley tickled the nylon 1:24 later with a great individual effort and scored again on a feed in front from Earley with 9:34 showing on the clock for a 15-7 Middlebury lead.
• Goals by Tufts' Lesperance and Conaghan sandwiched around a tally by Earley provided the final 16-9 score.

NOTES

• Behind her seven-point output (5G, 2A), Earley moved into seventh place in the Middlebury record books with 228 career points (176G, 52A). The attacker also secured three draw controls, moving her into second place in program history with 185.
• Erica Barr tied for game-high honors with six draw controls, bringing her career total to 180, which places her fourth in the record books.
• Panther goalie Annie Enrietto finished with five saves in the victory, improving her career record to an unblemished 25-0.
• Middlebury and Tufts played for the 28th time on Saturday, with the Panthers holding a decisive 23-5 edge in the all-time series.

The Panthers have a quick turnaround, traveling to #22 Hamilton on Sunday for a 1:00 p.m. start.