The Middlebury women's soccer team has earned the fifth seed in the upcoming NESCAC Tournament.
The 17th-ranked Middlebury women's soccer team has earned the fifth seed in the upcoming NESCAC tournament. The Panthers hit the road on Saturday, traveling to #18/fourth-seeded Amherst for a 12:00 p.m. quarterfinal kickoff.
ABOUT MIDDLEBURY
- Middlebury has appeared in 23 of 24 conference tournaments since its creation in 2000.
- The Panthers have earned 24 victories during the league's postseason event and have advanced to the championship game eight times.
- The squad looks to make the championship match for the first time since 2021 and seeks to secure its sixth conference championship.
- Middlebury sits in the top-five places in the league in shots on goal with 114 and has found the back of the net 25 times.
- Defensively, the Panthers have clamped down in conference action, allowing the second-fewest goals with five and just eight overall.
- Middlebury is tied for the league lead and is tied for 15th in Division III with 11 shutouts.
- The program's six ties during the regular season bested the previous program mark of five set in 2015 and 2023.
PANTHERS TO WATCH
- Mia Feldman and Joely Virzi have spearheaded the forward spot. Feldman has tallied two goals and three assists in 15 games, while Virzi has two markers and one helper.
- The midfield has been controlled by Gigi Day and Abby Ward, who are tied for the team lead with four tallies apiece.
- Chloe Swindle has contributed significantly, tying for first in assists with Feldman (three), while adding two tallies.
- Middlebury's defense has been a mainstay this season, guided by the duo of Maddie Schin and Lucy Patton. Schin (1,159) and Patton (983) have logged the most minutes of the Panther defenders. Tessa Broderick and Roshann Purcell have also seen significant time on the backline.
- Carolyn Kelley and Sydney Poppinga have split time in front of the net. Kelley sits tied for third among league peers in save percentage (.865) and fourth in goals against average (0.63), while Poppinga has recorded 23 saves in eight appearances with five starts.
ABOUT AMHERST
- The Mammoths make their league-leading 24th appearance in the NESCAC Tournament and are looking for their eighth conference title.
- Amherst has reached the championship game 10 times, taking home the last two crowns.
- The Mammoths closed the regular season with a 9-1-5 overall record and a 2-1-4 mark in conference action.
- The team has been heating up recently, going unbeaten in their last four contests, and outscoring opponents 15-4 during that stretch. Amherst has 12 different players who have found the back of the net this fall and 15 who have recorded at least one point.
- The Mammoth defense has had a stronghold, limiting opponents to the third-fewest goals with eight.
MAMMOTHS TO WATCH
- Caroline Coletti has been a problem for opposing defenses, leading the team and sitting in a tie for third in the NESCAC with seven tallies. Abby Schwartz is right behind with five goals and three helpers.
- Patience Kum is a force up top for Amherst, tallying four markers and the third-most assists in the conference at seven. Teammate Precious Novidzro has also emerged as a formidable threat, recording 10 points (3G, 4A).
- Charlotte Huang and Ella Johnson have anchored the Amherst backline, starting all 15 games, while each playing more than 1,200 minutes.
- The Mammoth six-yard box has been patrolled by goalie Mika Fisher. The senior has tallied the second-most shutouts in the conference (six) and has a 0.58 goals against average, putting her third amongst qualifying goalkeepers.
SERIES HISTORY
- Middlebury and Amherst will duke it out for the 47th time in the all-time series with the Mammoths holding a narrow 21-15-10 edge.
- The teams squared off in Massachusetts on September 21, playing to a 0-0 draw.
- The Panthers and Mammoths have met 11 times in the NESCAC Tournament. Middlebury holds a 5-4-2 edge and won the last matchup via penalty kicks in the 2021 semifinals en route to the title.
- Saturday's battle will be the fourth time the programs match up in the quarterfinals and the first since 2015 with the Panthers claiming each of the previous three contests.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Quarterfinals will occur at the top-four seeds on Saturday, November 2. The highest remaining seed will host the semifinals (Saturday, November 9) and championship game (Sunday, November 10).
