The third-ranked Middlebury women's ice hockey team found the back of the net four times in Sunday's third period to secure a 6-1 triumph over sixth-ranked Plattsburgh State.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Middlebury manufactured back-to-back chances with 17:22 remaining in the first stanza. Callia Ferraris ripped a one-timer that goalie Maddy Stetson stuffed. Meg Simon had a rebound three seconds later, but Stetson stopped that as well.
• At the 6:43 mark, Sydnee Francis cut left and ripped a cross-crease chance. Netminder Sophia Will read the shot and pushed it aside with her right pad.
• The hosts broke through with 12:34 remaining in the opener. Caroline Thomas hustled down the right side of the ice and poked the puck past Stetson for a 1-0 edge.
• Plattsburgh State tied the contest just 56 ticks into the second period. Molly Riggi skated down the right and fired a cross-ice pass to Kayson Ruegge for a one-timer that tucked inside the right post.
• Bailey MacKellar nearly put the visitors ahead about two minutes later, but Will stopped her shot on the right post.
• The Panthers regained the advantage with 13:59 remaining. Susannah Ward ripped a bid from the right faceoff circle into a crowd of red and white. Liv Fernandez broke free and tapped the redirect into the left side of the net to make it 2-1. 
• Plattsburgh kept up the pressure, as Tessa Morris and Emily Kasprzak had consecutive bids four seconds apart that were stonewalled by Will with 8:07 remaining.
• Plattsburgh State had the final opportunity with four seconds left on the stick of Seoyoung Yoo, but the riser was gloved by Will to keep the one-goal advantage.
• The Cardinals manufactured the first bid at the 3:26 mark of the third period. MacKellar had a breakaway bid that Will steered aside.
• Middlebury extended its lead less than a minute later. A Plattsburgh State turnover fell to Avery McInerny, who found Thomas in front. The rookie's initial shot was saved by Stetson's pad and ricocheted off the stick of Trinity Walsh. Thomas grabbed the loose puck on the left post and muscled it over the line to make it 3-1.
• Thomas continued her stellar afternoon with 11:18 remaining, tapping in a feed from Alyssa Frazier for Middlebury's fourth tally.
• The Panthers capped the offensive surge with goals from Sarah Anthony (15:26) and Britt Nawrocki (16:49) to secure the 6-1 triumph.

NOTES

• Thomas tallied her first career hat trick in the triumph. She becomes the first Middlebury player to have three in a game since Kylie Quinlan '25 in the NCAA Quarterfinals on March 12, 2022.
• Frazier added three helpers for the Middlebury offense, joining Olivia McManus as the second Panther to have three assists in a game this season.
• Anthony and Fernandez recorded their first tallies in a Middlebury uniform.
• The victory was the Panthers' 15th against the Cardinals and the largest in the series since a 5-1 triumph inside Chip Kenyon '85 Arena on December 6, 2002.
• Thomas was the program's representative on the all-tournament team.

Middlebury closes its 2025 slate with a road contest against Utica on Friday at 5:00 p.m.