The #1/top-seeded Middlebury field hockey team was knocked off by #14/fifth-seeded Bates 2-1 in NESCAC Semifinal action. The Bobcats took advantage of a penalty stroke in the fourth quarter to advance to the championship for the first time in program history.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Panthers jumped on the scoreboard 1:11 into the first stanza. Amy Griffin ripped a reverse sweep that found the left side of the cage for the early 1-0 lead.
• Middlebury almost doubled its advantage at 7:44 when a bid by Lilly Branka was denied on a defensive save from Haley Dwight.
• Nearly four minutes later, Caroline Segal blasted an attempt from inside the circle that was denied on a defensive save by Bobcat Amy LaBelle.
• In the second frame, Bates knotted the contest following a penalty corner. An initial shot was saved by Panther goalie Izzy Redzic, but Brooke Moloney-Kolenberg tapped in the loose ball on the left post with 1:34 elapsed.
• Seven minutes later after a penalty corner, Branka rifled a shot that was turned away on a defensive save by Dwight to keep it a 1-1 contest at the half.
• With 38:02 expired, Branka looked to break the tie, but her high shot after a corner was denied by goalie Ava Donohue's blocker. 
• Just 53 seconds into the final frame, Bates looked for the golden goal, but Ellie Hughes came up big with a defensive save on a blast from Anna Lindeis. 
• The Bobcats took a 2-1 edge with 46:35 elapsed. Anna Cote tucked her penalty stroke into the lower-right corner.
• Middlebury peppered the Bates' defense late in the frame, looking for the equalizer. The squad had 10 penalty corners, but despite pulling the goalie late, was not able to knot the contest as the Bobcats secured the 2-1 upset.

NOTES

• With one goal today, Griffin moved into a tie for sixth all-time on Middlebury's career points list with 155 (54G, 43A). 
• The Panthers end their home winning streak at 25-consecutive victories.
• The programs played for the 50th time with Bates grabbing its fifth triumph. 
• This was the fifth meeting between the programs in the NESCAC Tournament, and the first win for the Bobcats. 
• The programs played for the 50th time with Middlebury owning a 44-5-1 advantage.
• The fifth-seeded Bobcats advanced to championship weekend with a 2-1 2OT win (3-2 in the shootout) over fourth-seeded Wesleyan in the quarterfinals.

Middlebury awaits its NCAA Tournament fate when the field is announced late on Sunday evening. The program hosts the NESCAC Championship on Sunday at 12:00 p.m., with Bates taking on the winner of second-seeded Tufts and third-seeded Williams.