The top-ranked Middlebury field hockey team tallied the game-winning goal midway through the second quarter and added an insurance marker in the third to earn a 3-1 triumph over #14 Bates on Saturday in Maine. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Panthers took the lead at the 7:50 mark after a penalty corner. Segal inserted from the left hash towards Emily Stone. Branka collected a pass from Stone and launched it toward Griffin, who cut inside a defender and lifted the ball past Bobcat goalie Kaili Jacobsen for the 1-0 edge.
• Bates knotted the game with 11:33 to go in the second quarter. Izzy Grol intercepted a clearing attempt and whipped a pass into the circle. Lucy Norris pushed the ball past a Panther defender, causing Izzy Redzic to come off her line. Maria Femia got to the ball first and tucked it in the bottom left corner to make it 1-1.
• Middlebury rebounded after the goal by moving back in front with 24:36 elapsed. Branka drove into the teeth of the Bobcat defense, but her bid was blocked by Amanda Zerbib. The senior regrouped, settling the bouncing ball and slicing it over to Segal. Gaining some daylight, Segal fired an off-balance shot that slipped just inside the far post for a 2-1 advantage.
• Bates had the final chance of the half with 35 ticks left on the board. Redzic stood her ground, kicking Norris' attempt away to preserve the one-goal advantage heading into the break. 
• Middlebury came out firing after the intermission. Following a penalty corner, Branka laced a pass that Georgianne Defeo deflected. Jacobsen laid out to make a miraculous save but could not get the ball away from the goal mouth. A scrum ensued in front of the right post with Defeo tapping the ball backward to find Segal for her second of the day with 45 seconds gone in the third to extend the lead to 3-1.
• Bates had an opportunity to respond at the 42:39 mark. Anna Cote stole a pass after a restart and charged into the circle. She worked her way past a Panther defender and tried her luck in the bottom left corner, only to be stifled by Madeline DiLemme, who relieved Redzic in goal to begin the third quarter.
• Griffin looked to join the goal party in the final seconds of the stanza by firing an attempt toward the cage with Jacobsen off her line. Haley Dwight stepped up with a big defensive save to keep the score 3-1 heading into the fourth.
• Bates had a final chance to score with 28 seconds left, but Rose Gordon's shot was blocked by Ellie Hughes as Middlebury triumphed 3-1.

NOTES

• With two goals today, Segal set a season-high for her career with 16 tallies on the year.
• Griffin has earned a point in 10 of the last 11 games.
• The Panthers have won the last 32 matchups against the Bobcats.

Middlebury closes its regular season by hosting #3 Williams for a NESCAC showdown under the lights on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. from Peter Kohn Field.