The third-ranked Middlebury women's ice hockey team shut out in-state foe Castleton 5-0 on Tuesday evening. With the win, the Panthers improve to 5-0 on the season.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Middlebury had a good chance to get on the board with 9:35 expired in the opening period. Jordan Hower stole the puck at center ice and skated two-on-one with Cat Appleyard. Hower fed the puck to Appleyard whose shot was sticked away by goalie Victoria Bakopanos. 
• The Panthers took a 1-0 edge less than two minutes later. An initial bid by Molly MacQueen was blocked by Spartan Megan Ward and a scramble in the crease ensued. Sabrina Kim grabbed the puck near the left pipe and was able to shovel it into the goal.
• MacQueen muscled her way into the scoring column at the 16:39 mark. Kylie Quinlan sent a pass from behind the net, before MacQueen tipped in the bid from the slot.
• Castleton came out of the break strong, recording back-to-back chances around the two-minute mark. Netminder Sophia Will thwarted both of Ellie Schliebener's attempts, including a follow-up bid from point-blank range.
• With 5:12 elapsed in the middle stanza, Middlebury struck again. Olivia McManus blasted a shot into the goal from the high slot during a power-play to make it 3-0.
• The Panthers increased the advantage to 4-0 at the 16:24 mark. Kate Flynn's one-timer from between the circles hit the pad of Bakopanos, but it was too hard to stop as the puck trickled into the goal.
• Middlebury peppered Bakopanos over a pair of power-play chances to start the third, but Bakopanos stood strong and denied the Panthers.
• With 7:54 expired, Codi Bacon tested goalie Elinor Keehn, who came in for the final period. Bacon skated one-on-one at Keehn, but she snared the attempt with her glove to keep the Spartans off the board.
• Middlebury capped the scoring at the 13:16 mark when Quinlan shoveled in her own rebound for the 5-0 victory.

NOTES

• Keehn made a career-high five saves in 20 minutes of action.
• Kim tallied her 50th career assist during the win.
• The Panthers played Castleton for the 10th time, improving to 9-1-0.

Middlebury hits the road this weekend for the annual Panther/Cardinal Classic at #6 Plattsburgh State. The squad opens the tournament taking on Endicott on Saturday at 6:00 p.m.