The top-ranked Middlebury women's lacrosse team trailed 2-1 with 6:34 left in Thursday's first quarter, but a seven-goal run spanning 13:56 of action propelled the Panthers to a 14-6 victory over #10 The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The visitors grabbed an early lead 1:21 into the first frame when Caroline Adams worked around a defender and bounced a shot into the lower-left corner.
• The Lions knotted the contest (1-1) when Marissa Lucca scored on a free-position attempt, tucking the ball inside the left post just over two minutes later.
• TCNJ took its first advantage (2-1) with 6:34 remaining in the frame when Morgan Vaccaro ripped a shot into the upper corner.
• Anna Spehr started the decisive six-goal Panther run, burying a free-position attempt into the right side of the net, as Middlebury scored the next five to make it 7-2.
• The score remained that way until Adams ripped a shot into the left side of the goal following a pass from Maggie Coughlin with 6:56 left before halftime.
• TCNJ cut the deficit to five (8-3) on a quick-stick tally from Ally Tobler just 1:16 later, before Hope Shue scored on a free-position attempt with 2:48 showing on the clock.
• The Lions pulled to within five again on a player-up tally by Kira Sides just over a minute later to make it 9-4 at the intermission.
• Out of the halftime break, TCNJ won the opening draw control and raced down the field, but a diving save from Panther goalie Gina Driscoll kept it a five-goal contest.
• Shue completed her hat trick with 6:55 showing on the clock with a free-position marker slotted into the upper-right corner, but a turnaround shot by Tobler three minutes later brought the hosts back to within five (10-5).
• Middlebury took advantage of an extra player at 2:43 when Spehr found the back of the net with her third tally of the contest.
• Susan Rowley scored 58 seconds into the fourth quarter, pushing the advantage to 12-5 when she dodged a defender before tucking her shot into the upper portion of the net.
• The Panthers scored two of the game's final three goals, including tallies from Skylar Lach and Coughlin, for the final 14-6 score.

NOTES

• Shue has tallied a point in each of the last 25 games, finishing with four points (3G, 1A) in the win over TCNJ.
• Adams has won five or more draw controls in seven-consecutive games dating back to last season, including a game-best eight against the Lions.
• Thursday's victory was Middlebury's 34th-straight triumph.
• The programs played for the 17th time with the Panthers taking a narrow 9-8 edge in the all-time series. Middlebury has won four-straight meetings against the Lions.

The Panthers return to NESCAC action on Friday with a 5:00 p.m. start at Connecticut College. The contest was originally scheduled for Saturday, but it was moved up a day due to the projected forecast in Connecticut.