The top-ranked Middlebury women's lacrosse team has earned the #1 seed in the upcoming NESCAC Tournament, finishing the regular season with a perfect 10-0 conference mark. The Panthers will host eighth-seeded Bowdoin on Peter Kohn Field on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. in quarterfinal action. 
 
ABOUT MIDDLEBURY

• The Panthers earned the top seed by going unbeaten during NESCAC play with a 10-0 record. 
• Middlebury has played in each of the 21 conference tournaments, joining Amherst and Colby as the only three institutions in that category. 
• The Panthers have won the most NESCAC Tournament contests (32) in the history of the event. 
• The program will be vying for its 11th conference title with its most recent championship in 2019.
• Middlebury is one of three undefeated teams remaining in Division III along with Kenyon and William Smith, boasting a 15-0 overall mark.
• The Panthers rank second in the country in free-position percentage, converting 62.4 percent of their attempts. The team also sits third in clearing percentage (.910), third in scoring defense (6.00 GAA) and fourth in scoring margin (+11.15).
• The program notched its 20th-straight win on Wednesday night, and have won 28-consecutive road contests.  

PANTHERS TO WATCH

• Jane Earley leads the NESCAC in points (66), goals (51) and draw controls per game (6.53). The senior is second in Middlebury's record books in career goals (194) and draws (217), and is third in points with 250. She set a program mark for most draw controls in a game earlier this season, winning 13 against then-#3 TCNJ. 
• Also contributing to a potent offense is Hope Shue, who is second on the squad in points (59), and goals (46), while tying for second with 13 helpers. Shue has tallied the most points (nine) and goals (seven) in a single game this year. She recorded seven tallies twice this season, both coming against nationally-ranked conference opponents.
• Erica Barr has helped anchor a solid defensive unit this year. The senior paces the squad in ground balls (31) and caused turnovers (28), while ranking second with 54 drawl controls. Barr is third on Middlebury's career draws list with 198. Chloe Newman is a mainstary in the backfield, ranking second on the team with 17 caused turnovers, while helping contribute to a .907 clearing percentage which ranks fourth in the country. In the regular-season finale, Newman tallied a season-high six ground balls and five caused turnovers.
• In goal, Annie Enrietto ranks fifth in Division III with a 5.29 goals against average and owns an unblemished 31-0 career record.

ABOUT BOWDOIN

• Bowdoin is searching for the program's first NESCAC title, having advanced to the finals on three occasions. 
• The Polar Bears competed in the championship contest most recently in 2015. 
• Bowdoin finished the regular season with a record of 6-9 and a 3-7 conference mark.
• The Polar Bears rank third in the conference in draw controls per game (15.21).

POLAR BEARS TO WATCH

• Sophia Sudano ranks fifth in the NESCAC in points (57) and goals (43), while also dishing out 14 helpers this season. Fiona Bundy is next for the Polar Bears with 46 points (35G, 11A), while ranking second on the team in draw controls (69). 
• Bowdoin has three consistent players taking draw controls, with Emelia Krakora leading the way with 76.
• Sophie Brett has played a majority of the minutes in goal for the Polar Bears this season, boasting a 12.91 goals against average. 

SERIES HISTORY

• Middlebury and Bowdoin meet for the 47th time with the Panthers owning a commanding 41-5 mark in the series. 
• The teams have squared off three times in the NESCAC Tournament, last meeting in the 2015 semifinals. The Panthers have won all three tournament contests, including a 2006 finals bout and a 2004 semifinals tilt. 
• Middlebury has won the last seven games against Bowdoin, most recently claiming the 2023 regular season matchup  by a score of 15-9. 

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

• Quarterfinals will occur at the top-four seeds on Saturday, April 29. The remainder of the tournament will be hosted on Saturday, May 6 (semifinals) and Sunday, May 7 (championship) at the highest remaining seed. 
• Championship Central