The #1/top-seeded Middlebury women's lacrosse team scored 11 goals in the first quarter, on its way to a 20-6 victory over #12/fourth-seeded Colby in NESCAC Semifinal action on Saturday. With the win, the Panthers advance to the conference championship for the 14th time and are seeking their 11th title. The squad will take on Tufts at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Middlebury jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead with just 3:16 elapsed in the first quarter, highlighted by two goals each from Hope Shue and Jane Earley.
• The Mules cut the deficit to 4-2 on a goal inside the right post by Ally Franz and a tally by Annie Eddy just 55 seconds later.
• The Panthers answered with a 7-1 run to close out the initial quarter, highlighted by three more goals from Shue, for an 11-3 advantage.
• Jamee Numan pushed the Middlebury lead to 12-3 just 3:27 into the second quarter on a drive from the top, while Niki Mormile made it a 10-goal advantage (13-3) on a cut from the left side.
• Both teams put together two-goal spurts over the rest of the half, as Julia Jardina and Kailey O'Neill scored for Colby while Shue tallied her sixth and seventh goals of the contest for a 15-5 Panther advantage at the halftime break.
• Caroline Messer, Earley and Mormile each scored during the third stanza, pushing the lead to 18-5.
• Franz capped the Mules' scoring with the opening goal of the final quarter, before Caroline Adams and Maggie Coughlin closed out the game for the 20-6 final.  

NOTES

• Shue tied the NESCAC Tournament single-game record with her seven goals for the second time. The Panther has scored seven goals in four-consecutive games and leads the NESCAC with 60 tallies.
• Annie Enrietto owns a perfect 33-0 record in the Middlebury goal. 
• The Panthers have won 22-straight games dating back to the 2022 season. 
• Middlebury advances to the title tilt for the sixth-consecutive year.