The top-ranked Middlebury women's lacrosse team is set to host an NCAA Regional following its second round victory over St. John Fisher last weekend. The Panthers will take on Colorado College on Saturday at 11:30 a.m., while #8 Ithaca and #11 Pomona-Pitzer play in the second game at 2:30 p.m.

ABOUT MIDDLEBURY

• Middlebury is making its 28th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and is looking to reach the quarterfinal round for the 27th time.
• The Panthers are seeking their third-consecutive national title and 10th overall.
• The program has won 47-straight contests, including 26 in a row on Peter Kohn Field. The team is the only remaining unbeaten squad in Division III, owning a 19-0 mark entering the weekend. 
• Middlebury claimed its 12th NESCAC Title earlier this year to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers earned a first-round bye as the top-overall seed, and reached the third round of the national tournament by defeating St. John Fisher 18-5 on Sunday afternoon.
• This season, Middlebury ranks in the top-five spots in Division III in clearing percentage (third - .922), scoring defense (third - 6.06), draw control percentage (fourth - .638), and scoring margin (fifth - 10.00). 

PANTHERS TO WATCH

• In the NCAA Second Round win, Hope Shue led the way offensively, tallying six goals and two assists. The Panther was named the NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year earlier this spring and leads the conference in points (92) and goals (68), while ranking first on the team in assists (24) and second in draw controls (54). During the campaign, Shue became the third Panther to eclipse the 200-career goal mark and has netted 207 markers. She has also racked up 258 points during her time in the navy and white, which is fourth in the program record books. 
• Susan Rowley and Maggie Coughlin complete a formidable attacking trio. Rowley is second on the team in both points (78) and goals (62) and has bagged a hat trick or better in eight of her last nine games. Coughlin is tied for third on the team in points (45) and has provided a balanced offensive output, tallying 22 goals and 23 assists during the spring, including a hat trick against St. John Fisher.
• At midfield, Caroline Adams paces Middlebury in draw controls, winning 112 this season. Her total leads the NESCAC and is third in the program record books, while her career total (196) is fourth all-time. Adams is also tied for third in points with 45 (27G, 18A). Lucy Bishop has won 48 draws in her first year campaign, which ranks third on the squad. During the Panthers' second round triumph, Bishop secured a career-high seven draw controls.
• Anchoring the defense, Kylie Wilson has caused a team-best 27 turnovers and grabbed 36 groundballs. Haley Hamilton has forced 22 takeaways, while Chloe Newman has 18 caused turnovers and has scooped up 27 rollers, which is second on the squad.
• Netminders Elizabeth Savage and Gina Driscoll have shared time in the goal this season. In 13 appearances, Savage holds a 5.20 goals against average (GAA), and boasts a .523 save percentage, while Driscoll is an unblemished 13-0 on the year, with a 6.59 GAA.   

ABOUT COLORADO COLLEGE

• Colorado College is making its 12th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and is seeking a quarterfinal round berth for the fourth time in program history. 
• The Tigers reached the round of 16 by defeating Aurora 18-2 in the opening round and rushing past #25 UChicago 20-14 in their second round contest.
• This year, Colorado College boasts a 16-5 overall record and went undefeated (6-0) in conference play. 
• The Tigers claimed the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) title, downing UW-La Crosse 16-5 in the final to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
• Colorado College has a high-powered attack and ranks in the top-10 spots in the nation in a host of offensive categories. The Tigers are fourth in scoring offense (17.75), fifth in points per game (27.35), sixth in assists per game (9.60), seventh in scoring margin (9.80) and ninth in draw controls per game (17.70).  

TIGERS TO WATCH

• Kendall Havill has paced the Colorado College offense this season, leading the squad in points (115) and goals (93), while also adding 22 helpers. The senior's goal total ranks third in the country and she has scored two or more goals in every game this season, including eight markers in the NCAA Second Round win over #25 the University of Chicago.
• A pair of Tigers are tied for second on the team with 77 points. Tobin Lonergan leads the squad with 35 assists and is third with 42 markers, while Charlotte Iler has found the back of the net 57 times and assisted on 20 tallies.
• Devon Ortman has started all 21 games and paces the team with 113 draw controls and 51 groundballs, while also sitting third in caused turnovers (23) and fourth in points (51) and assists (21).
• Healy Bledsoe and Evelyn Baher-Murphy rank first and second on the squad in caused turnovers with 25 and 24, respectively. Bledsoe is also second in rollers (46), while Baher-Murphy is just behind, scooping up 44 groundballs.
• In goal, Cassidy Schnaufer has started all 21 contests this season and led the WIAC with a 9.78 save percentage, while making 119 saves. During the Tigers' second round win, Schnaufer denied 12 attempts.  

ABOUT ITHACA 

• Ithaca earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament by capturing its first Liberty League crown with an 11-10 overtime win against then-#7 William Smith. The Bombers earned a first-round bye and raced past Shenandoah 18-6 in their tournament opener.
• Ithaca is making its 15th appearance on the national stage and is attempting to reach the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time. 
• The squad owns an 18-1 overall record this season and were an undefeated 10-0 in conference play.

BOMBERS TO WATCH

• Maizy Veitch has been the offensive catalyst for the Bombers, leading the team in points (91) and goals (57), while ranking second in assists (34). Sydney Phillips is just behind her teammate in scoring, finding the back of the net on 55 occasions. 
• Caroline Wise has been sensational at midfield this season, winning 174 draws, which is fourth in Division III. She also leads the squad with 36 groundballs and is second in points, totaling 67 (32G, 35A).
• Lexi Held has started all 19 games in between the pipes for Ithaca, and owns a .514 save percentage, which is seventh nationally. The senior has stopped 170 shots and holds an 8.80 GAA.  

ABOUT POMONA-PITZER

• Pomona-Pitzer reached the NCAA Tournament by defeating Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 18-8 in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championship. 
• The Sagehens received a bye in the first round before downing George Fox 19-7 in the second round.
• Pomona-Pitzer is in the national tournament for the sixth time and is looking to secure a place in the quarterfinals for the first time in program history. 
• This season, the Sagehens are 18-1 overall and concluded SCIAC action with an unblemished 12-0 mark. 

SAGEHENS TO WATCH

• Pomona-Pitzer presents a balanced offensive output. Sydney Landauer leads the team with 76 points (36G, 40A), while Shoshi Henderson is just behind her with 74 (26G, 48A). 
• Fiona Lewis is third with 65 points and is the team leader with 55 markers.
• Defensively, Carly Sullivan has been a stalwart for the Sagehens causing a team-high 38 turnovers and scooping up a program-best 39 groundballs.
• Ruby Loesch has started all 19 games in net, thwarting 97 bids and owning the best GAA in all of Division III (5.08).

SERIES HISTORY

• Middlebury and Colorado College have met just twice, with the Panthers holding a 2-0 series edge. Middlebury defeated the Tigers 20-8 in 2000 and 18-6 in 2012. The two programs have never met in the NCAA Tournament. 
• If both Middlebury and Ithaca were to reach the quarterfinal round, this would be the third meeting between the teams, with each coming during NCAA Tournament play. In 2008, the Panthers defeated the Bombers 19-3, before claiming a 14-7 victory in the first round of the national tournament in 2011.
• Middlebury and Pomona-Pitzer have never played each other before in the sport of women's lacrosse.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION 

• Schedule 
  • Saturday, May 18 (Third Round)
    • Colorado College vs. Middebury - 11:30 a.m. 
    • Ithaca vs. Pomona-Pitzer - 2:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, May 19 (Quarterfinals)
    • Winners of Saturday - 1:00 p.m. 
• Championship Central
• Bracket 

The winners of Saturday's third round games play in a quarterfinal matchup on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. with a trip to the final four on the line.