The #10 Middlebury field hockey team has earned the number two seed in the upcoming NESCAC Tournament. The Panthers host #13/seventh-seeded Bowdoin on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. on Peter Kohn Field.

ABOUT MIDDLEBURY

• Middlebury is the only school to qualify for every conference tournament since the initial championship was held in 2000.
• The Panthers have claimed six of the last seven league titles, having their streak snapped last season.
• Middlebury paces the NESCAC with 10 conference crowns.
• The team has an 84-5 record in its last 89 games at Peter Kohn Field.
• Middlebury leads the conference in multiple categories, including goals allowed (14), penalty corners (169) and shots (299). The squad is tied for third in goals scored with 38 and a 2.53 scoring average.
• The Panthers have recorded four shutouts and held opponents to 15 goals coming into postseason action.

PANTHERS TO WATCH

• The trio of Megan Fuqua, Addie Chandler and Emma McCann guides an offense that has scored two or more goals in nine contests. Fuqua leads the Panthers with eight goals and 17 points. Chandler has had a stellar rookie campaign, tallying seven markers and at least one point in three of the last six contests. McCann is one of five players to log 900 minutes and has found the back of the cage six times, including two in the previous three games.
• Other strong performers this season have been Claire McMichael, Ellie Harrison and Georgianne Defeo. McMichael is the top distributor on the squad with six assists and is one of five Panthers to have double-digit points. Harrison has appeared in all 15 contests, scoring one and adding two assists. Defeo is still searching for her first goal of the campaign.
• Anchoring the defensive unit has been Grace Keefe, Tessa Herbst and Lily Stockwell. Keefe has played 954 minutes and contributed four goals and three assists, while Herbst leads the Panthers with 998 minutes played. Stockwell has started each contest, tallying 802 minutes of game action.
• Izzy Redzic is Middlebury's primary option in the cage. The junior sports an 11-4 mark and has a 0.90 goals against average (GAA) over nearly 937 minutes.

ABOUT BOWDOIN

• Bowdoin is making its 24th appearance in the tournament and returns after missing the postseason last year. 
• The Polar Bears have 33 victories in the NESCAC Tournament, second behind Middlebury's 44 total triumphs. The program has claimed eight league championships.
• Bowdoin is tied for third among conference programs alongside the Panthers and Hamilton with 38 goals scored.

POLAR BEARS TO WATCH

• Emily Ferguson leads the Polar Bear attack with 11 goals and a conference-high nine assists. The forward has recorded at least a point in 12 of 15 games, highlighted by two goals and a helper against Hamilton earlier this season.
• Mackay Bommer (8G, 3A), Hannah Balmelli (7G, 1A) and Maddie Mrva (3G, 3A) each have double-digit points.
• The Bowdoin defensive trio of Lily Clifford, Clara Noyes and Melissa Shunk has played in all 15 contests and combined for two goals and five assists. 
• Goalie Lauren O'Donald has appeared in 15 games, tallying a 1.71 GAA, 69 saves and five shutouts.

SERIES HISTORY

• Middlebury and Bowdoin will meet for the 60th time overall. The Panthers hold a slim 30-28-1 edge in the matchup.
• The programs have battled 11 times in the NESCAC Tournament. Middlebury has won six of those meetings, including the lone quarterfinal matchup in 2016 by a 2-0 score.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

• Championship Central
• NESCAC Championship Records

The four quarterfinal winners will square off in the semifinal round on Saturday, November 8 at the highest remaining seed. The championship game is set for Sunday, November 9 at the site of the semifinal host.