The #12/third-seeded Middlebury women's soccer team saw its run in the NESCAC Tournament conclude in a 2-1 loss to #10/second-seeded Williams on Saturday evening in Massachusetts. The Ephs move on to the championship match tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. against #3/top-seeded Tufts.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Middlebury nearly took the lead on a corner kick with 1:56 elapsed. Gigi Day headed a ball from Stella Espinasse toward the bottom left corner of the net. Williams' goalkeeper Margaret Huelin tracked the bid and cupped the ball to her chest for the save.
• Williams looked to begin the scoring at the 12:05 mark. Paige Nelson collected possession just outside the goalie box and fired a bid that defender Roshann Purcell headed away.
• Batria Abbiati sniped a shot following a corner kick in the 17th minute that sailed to the bottom right corner. Panther goalie Livia Davidson came off her line and smothered the attempt. 
• The Ephs put together a bid with 23:15 elapsed. Abbiati settled a loose ball from 20 yards out and sent a shot that sailed high right.
• Williams grabbed the lead at the 34:30 mark. After some crisp passing, Kianna Porter tapped the ball into the middle of the box to a darting Elle Long, who found the center of the net to make it 1-0.
• Porter almost doubled the Ephs' advantage in the 39th minute via a bid from the right side of the box. Davidson tracked the ball and fell on it for the save.
• The Ephs came out firing with just 2:07 expired in the second half. Ansley Burns blasted a rising free kick to the center of the goal. Davidson timed her leap perfectly and punched the ball over the crossbar.
• Middlebury manufactured its first chance of the stanza at the 52:25 mark. Lauren Tracey tapped the ball to the left before sending a left-footed shot to the right post. Huelin slid to her right to make the stop.
• After a corner kick bounced around in the box, Kjersti Moritz tapped a shot toward the lower-right corner in the 56th minute. Despite the traffic, Huelin kicked the ball away to keep the 1-0 advantage.
• Williams doubled its lead with 19:44 remaining. Stophel flicked the ball between two Middlebury defenders off a crisp pass from Porter and snuck her shot inside the left post.
• The Panthers turned up the pressure beginning at the 78:05 mark. Tracey and Sarah Hall had attempts separated by 67 seconds that Huelin denied.
• The Panthers cut the deficit with 1:22 left. Olivia Colby tapped a quick pass in the box to Tracey. The defender raced to the left post and blasted a shot into the right side of the net.
• Middlebury tried to muster up a game-tying opportunity, but Williams played keep away to seal the 2-1 victory and move on to the championship match.

NOTES

• Tracey netted her third goal of her rookie campaign.
• Davidson stopped six shots in the setback.
• Saturday's semifinal meeting between the Panthers and Ephs was the seventh time in the NESCAC Tournament and 61st overall.

The Panthers will learn their NCAA Tournament fate when the bracket is revealed on Monday at 11:30 a.m.