The top-ranked Middlebury women's lacrosse team took a decisive 6-0 lead in the opening quarter and never looked back en route to a 16-2 victory over Bates. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Panthers opened the scoring with 2:11 expired when Hope Shue converted a free– position attempt from the top of the arc.
• Susan Rowley increased the advantage just over a minute later, dodging a pair of defenders through traffic and slipping her shot into the upper-right corner for the 2-0 lead.
• With 8:05 left on the clock, Kelcey Dion swiveled around a Bobcat and launched her shot into the upper-right 90 to make it 3-0.
• Middlebury tallied three more times to close out the quarter with a 6-0 advantage. Kate Motley cut to her right and slipped the ball into the left side, Rowley found a cutting Caroline Messner who lofted the ball over goalie Avery Lehman's left shoulder and Rowley converted a free-position marker.
• Rowley struck first in the second frame, before Shue, Anna Spehr and Niki Mormile each scored to put the Panthers up 10-0 at the half.
• Rowley continued to roll, tallying back-to-back markers, including one with an extra player to begin the third stanza. Spehr and Motley scored to close out the period with a commanding 14-0 lead.
• Bates spoiled the shutout with Emma Austin scoring her fifth goal of the season at the 13:48 mark.
• The teams traded markers while sporting an extra player, before Middlebury's Jamee Numan closed out the scoring with a tally just under four minutes for the 16-2 triumph.

NOTES

• The programs played for the 40th time with the Panthers claiming their 35th win over the Bobcats.
• Middlebury is riding a 32-game unbeaten streak dating back to 2022.

The Panthers continue their spring trip, taking on #5 Franklin & Marshall on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. at the U.S. Lacrosse Headquarters in Maryland.