The seventh-ranked Middlebury women's ice hockey team picked up a 1-0 victory at Williams on Friday night. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• During a power play beginning at the 8:08 mark, Panther Britt Nawrocki had a pair of back-to-back quality chances. The initial shot from the top of the left circle was denied by Ephs' goalie Erin Pye. The rebound bounced around and Nawrocki was eventually able to fire another attempt, but it was blocked by a defender in front of the net.
• Middlebury took a 1-0 edge with exactly 13 minutes elapsed. Cat Appleyard's close-range effort was thwarted by Pye, but Callia Ferraris was on the left pipe to tap in the rebound. 
• Williams' best opportunity to knot the contest came with just under three minutes remaining in the opening stanza. Lucie Bond skated through the slot and attempted to poke the puck through the five-hole, but netminder Sophia Merageas made a butterfly save to deny the effort.
• With 8:40 expired in the middle frame, the Ephs looked to get on the scoreboard. Robin Kitazono skated along the right boards and past a Panther defender. Kitazono maneuvered from the right circle and tried to deke Merageas, but the goalie read the move and denied the chance. 
• Middlebury nearly scored again midway through the stanza during an eight-shot shooting frenzy. The best opportunity came at the 11:45 mark when Sabrina Kim blasted an effort from the top of the left faceoff circle. Pye saved the attempt, but the puck skirted out and it was Kim versus Pye again, this time Kim's chance being met by a sprawling save.
• With 6:26 remaining in the frame, the hosts had 50 seconds of five-on-three action, but Merageas stood tall and denied three shots during the span to keep the one-goal edge intact. 
• The Panthers had a pair of power plays beginning at the 11:11 mark of the third stanza. Middlebury peppered Pye over the four minutes of play, but the netminder turned away seven shots to keep Williams in the game.
• The Ephs had an outstanding chance to equalize with just under two minutes remaining. An initial shot by Leah Rubinshteyn was denied by Merageas, but the rebound kicked out to the right pipe. Bond was waiting, and spun around to try and sneak the puck past Merageas, but the Panther goalie used a split save to keep Williams off the board.
• The Ephs pulled Pye following that attempt, but Merageas and the Middlebury defense stood tall to deny all attempts and secure the 1-0 victory.

NOTES

• Merageas made 28 stops to earn her 11th career shutout.
• The Panthers remain unbeaten in six-straight meetings (5-0-1) against Williams, improving to 77-6-5 overall in the series.  

The teams meet again on Saturday, this time with a 7:00 p.m. puck drop in Kenyon Arena.