The #3 Middlebury men's soccer team escaped the sectional round of the NCAA Tournament, edging #11 Babson 4-3 during a penalty-kick shootout after finishing 110 minutes of scoreless action. With the win, the Panthers advance to the national semifinals for the second time in program history.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Middlebury had a good chance to jump on the scoreboard with 13:33 elapsed. Ari Klayman threw the ball in from deep on the left sideline, but Will Sawin's header attempt was thwarted by goalie Walker White jumping to his right.
• The best opportunity of the first half for the Beavers came at the 24:23 mark. Samuel Kalishman sprinted from the center of the field, beating a Panther defending to the left and fired the ball toward the lower left. Netminder Joey Waterman dove to his right to deny the chance and keep the game deadlocked at 0-0 at the break.
• With just over six minutes expired in the second stanza, Babson looked to take the lead. An initial shot by Tyler Fidrych was blocked by defender Luke Madden, but the ball popped out the the top of the 18-yard box. James Donaldson was there and blasted the ball on frame, but Waterman dove to his left to thwart the opportunity.
• Middlebury had a trio of close chances during the 62nd minute. Colin Dugan sent a cross from the right corner that Shane Farrell got a foot on and tried to use a pull-back flick to score. White read the play and denied the chance with his chest. The Panthers followed up with back-to-back bids from Dugan and Sawin, but both opportunities were blocked by defenders. 
• The Panthers threatened again with roughly 20 minutes to go in regulation. Madden sent a beautiful ball up the right sideline. Hugo Horwitz, who had just subbed in from the bench, sprinted toward the goal for a one-on-one chance with White, but the goalie got there first and corralled the ball.
• Horwitz was hungry, nearly scoring at the 76:51 mark. A point-blank bid was denied by White who couldn't hold onto the hard shot. Horowitz followed up with a one-timer, but it skidded just wide left of the pipe.
• With less than a minute remaining, Sawin saw an opening. Two players went for a 50-50 ball at the top of the 18. With White out of position during the scramble, Sawin blasted an attempt, but it went slightly to the left as the teams ended regulation 0–0.
• Babson had the best attempt during the first overtime stanza. At the 97:54 mark following a yellow card, Lyndon Way saw his free kick from 35 yards out blocked by Madden. Donaldson fired the rebound attempt on frame sending Waterman soaring, but the ball was just wide left. 
• The Beavers had the only quality chance during the second extra session following a free kick. Kento Abe sent the ball into the box and Way got a head on it at the left post, but Waterman dove through the air and just got his left hand on the ball on the far corner to punch it away and send the contest to a shootout.  
• Babson won the coin toss and chose to kick first in penalty kicks. The initial shot by White sailed above the crossbar leaving the door open for Middlebury.
• Jay Hoke and Tyler Payne converted, sandwiched around Beaver Marco Cerezo for the 2-1 edge.
• Waterman and White each tallied a save in succession to keep the Panthers ahead by one.
• Babson tied it up with a shot tucked under the crossbar from Way, followed by conversions from Middlebury's Dugan and Beaver Fidrych to lock the kicks at three apiece.
• With one to go before sudden-victory would kick in, Sawin stepped up to the dot and buried the ball into the upper-left corner to secure the shootout 4-3 and punch the Panthers' ticket to the NCAA Semifinal. 

NOTES

• Middlebury made its second-straight appearance in the quarterfinals and sixth overall. The only time the Panthers have advanced to the final four was when head coach Alex Elias '07 helped guide the squad to the program's first national championship as a field player in 2007.
• Middlebury and Babson played for the second time this fall and 19th time overall, with the Panthers claiming four-straight victories.
• Waterman earns the shutout, moving into a three-way tie for second place in the record books with 12 on the season. 

Middlebury plays in the national semifinal on Thursday, December 5 at 5:30 p.m. EST in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Panthers take on the winner of the quarterfinal contest between NESCAC foe #8 Amherst and #7 Wisconsin-Eau Claire, which began at 4:00 p.m. eastern this afternoon. The other contest also features a league opponent in Connecticut College and #21 Washington & Lee.