The Middlebury women's basketball team put together a 9-1 run early in the second quarter, knocking 10th-ranked Amherst from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 76-67 victory on Saturday. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Knotted at 9-9 midway through the first quarter, the Mammoths tallied eight of the next 10 points for a 17-11 edge on a layup by Maya Kwalina with 2:23 left.
• The Panthers rattled off the game's next eight points, grabbing their first lead of the contest on a three-point field goal from Bethany Lucey six seconds into the second quarter.
• A minute later deadlocked at 21-21, Middlebury reeled off a 9-1 spurt covering 2:52 of action, capped by a jumper from Augusta Dixon for a 30-22 advantage at the 5:39 mark.
• The Mammoths chipped away at the deficit, pulling to within four (32-28) on a layup from Reeya Patel with 2:04 left.
• A free throw and a layup by Alexa Mustafaj in the final minute of the frame pushed the Panther lead to 35-28 at the break.
• Both teams put together small spurts to start the third quarter before Middlebury went on a 7-0 run covering 2:39 of play to take a 12-point edge (51-39).
• The Panthers maintained a double-digit advantage over the next few minutes, taking their largest lead of the game (57-43) on a jumper from Calie Messina with 9:02 remaining.
• Amherst pulled to within seven (71-64) on a shot from beyond the arc by Patel with 42 ticks left, but Mustafaj converted five of her six free-throw attempts to seal the 76-67 triumph.

NOTES

• Dixon continues her stellar play with her third double-double in the last seven games, scoring 10 points and pulling down a game-best 12 rebounds. During that stretch, Dixon has averaged 12.4 points and 11.4 boards per contest. She also handed out a career-best five assists.
• Mustafaj tallied a game-high 33 points, marking the third time this season and the sixth time in her career that she has surpassed the 30-point plateau.
• Emily Downer posted 11 points in just 14 minutes off the bench on 4-5 shooting and a perfect 3-3 at the free-throw line.
• The Panthers have won three-straight contests and eight of their last 10.
• The programs met for the 33rd time with Amherst holding a 26-7 advantage, but Middlebury has won each of the last two matchups.  

The Panthers return to action on Tuesday with a 5:30 p.m. home contest against St. Lawrence.