The #1/top-seeded Middlebury women's lacrosse team outscored #7/third-seeded Tufts 6-2 during the third quarter on its way to a 19-13 win in Sunday's NESCAC Championship. With the victory, the Panthers claimed their conference-leading 11th title and the third in the last four seasons. Middlebury receives the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament which begins next week. The victory is the 250th career win for head coach Kate Livesay. She produced a 127-26 record at Trinity and enters the NCAA Tournament with a 123-11 mark while leading the Panthers.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The hosts grabbed an early 2-0 lead on a goal by Susan Rowley just 59 seconds into the first quarter, followed by a free-position tally less than two minutes later from Kelcey Dion.
• Tufts answered with a goal on a drive from the right side of the crease by Allie Zorn and a quick-stick tally 1:17 later by Maggie Carden to knot the contest at 2-2.
• The two sides traded the next four goals, before a free-position marker from Jane Earley gave Middlebury a 5-4 edge after one quarter.
• Earley pushed the Panther advantage to two (6-4) on a dodge from the top 57 seconds into the second stanza. 
• The Jumbos clawed their way back to level the back-and-forth contest at 8-8 when Carden tucked her shot into the upper-right corner with 2:14 left before halftime.
• Middlebury regained a one-goal edge with 50 seconds remaining when Earley bounced a free-position attempt in for a 9-8 lead at the half.
• The Panthers increased the advantage behind a drive from the top by Hope Shue and a player up tally by Anna Spehr on a wraparound goal for an 11-8 lead 3:01 into the third quarter.
• Middlebury maintained a two to three-goal edge before Niki Mormile started the decisive spurt in the last six minutes. Mormile dodged a defender before ripping a shot into the upper portion of the goal, while Shue scored on a free-position goal and Spehr worked a nifty give-and-go with Sara Ellinghaus to push the lead to 15-10.
• The Panthers increased their advantage to seven (17-10) with goals by Earley and Ellinghaus 41 seconds apart in the early stages of the fourth frame. 
• The Jumbos moved to within four (17-13) on a pair of bouncing tallies by Allie Zorn, but Dion and Mormile capped the victory in the last two minutes for the final 19-13 score.

NOTES

• Earley continues her ascent up the program's career record books. She became just the second Panther to eclipse 200-career goals (203), while she also moved into second place in points (266).
• Shue finished the NESCAC Tournament with 17 points (16G, 1A), just one shy of the conference record.
• Annie Enrietto made six saves in Sunday's championship game and owns a perfect 34-0 career record. 
• The Panthers have won 23-straight games dating back to the 2022 season. 
• Behind its 19 goals on Sunday, Middlebury set a NESCAC Tournament record with 55 goals.
• Middlebury and Tufts have had 29 meetings in the all-time series with the Panthers holding a decisive 24-5 edge. The two programs have met six times in the NESCAC Tournament, with Middlebury leading the series 4-2.

The Panthers will await their opponent when the NCAA Tournament selection show takes place on Monday at 10:30 a.m.