Cat Appleyard scored 3:47 into Friday's overtime period, leading the #3 Middlebury women's ice hockey team to a 2-1 home-opening victory over Wesleyan.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Panthers began the first period peppering Wesleyan goalie Jenna Guglielmi. Middlebury produced a quality chance 1:45 into action, but the Cardinal goalie denied a bid on the doorstep by Molly MacQueen.
• The hosts continued to put pressure near the midway point of the frame, firing four-consecutive shots from just outside the crease. Guglielmi stopped each opportunity to keep the contest scoreless.
• Wesleyan posted its first shot on goal with 8:20 left as Sam DeLeo rifled a shot from the blueline that Panther netminder Sophia Merageas kicked away with her right pad.
• The Cardinals had another chance 1:16 later, but Aimee Seppenwolde's shot from the left point was saved by Merageas.
• Nearly four minutes into the second period, Wesleyan's Christina Tournas skated between the circles and lifted a shot that Merageas denied with her shoulder.
• The Cardinals scored just over a minute later. Effie Tournas collected a pass in her defensive zone before skating down the ice and ripping a shot just under the crossbar for the 1-0 lead with 5:12 expired.
• Looking for the equalizer, Middlebury knotted the contest at 10:01 when Raia Schluter stuffed home a rebound following a shot from the point by Cece Ziegler.
• Wesleyan looked to regain the lead with 4:06 remaining, but Merageas denied an Amelia Molin shot from the right slot.
• In the third stanza, the Panthers buzzed the zone looking to take the lead with a good opportunity with 4:19 elapsed. Callia Ferraris won a quick faceoff and blasted a shot from the right dot that Guglielmi smothered.
• With 10:44 gone in the frame, Schluter sent a rising chance toward the Wesleyan netminder who stopped the puck with her blocker to keep it a 1-1 contest.
• The Cardinals manufactured a quality chance while short-handed with 4:47 remaining as a redirect in front of the crease by Cameron Devenney was saved by Merageas. 
• The visitors nearly scored with 30 seconds left in regulation on the rush, but a shot from the between the circles by E. Tournas was saved by the right pad of Merageas to send the game to overtime.
• Skating 3-on-3 in the extra period, the action was end-to-end. Wesleyan's best opportunity came with 2:14 elapsed when a blast from just inside the blueline by E. Tournas was stopped by Merageas' shoulder.
• The Panthers tallied the game-winning goal after cycling the puck in the zone. An initial shot by Ziegler from the left point was saved by Guglielmi but Appleyard gathered the rebound and muscled the puck over the goalline for the 2-1 victory. 

NOTES

• Appleyard's goal was her first this season and the 27th of her career. She also collected her eighth game-winner tally in a Panther uniform.
• Schluter's goal was her second in as many games. 
• Merageas stopped 14 shots and improved to 2-0-0 this season, pushing her career record to 36-5-3.
• The programs played for the 73rd time with Middlebury holding a 66-3-4 advantage.

The teams return to action on Saturday with a 3:00 p.m. puck drop from Chip Kenyon '85 Arena.