The second-ranked Middlebury women's ice hockey team dropped a 3-0 decision at #12 Colby on Friday evening.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Panthers looked to strike 40 seconds into the first period, but a wrister by Cat Appleyard from the left circle was saved by the glove of Mule goalie Mandy Busky.
• Colby gained the early 1-0 lead two minutes later. An initial shot from the right dot from Breanna Studley was saved by Middlebury netminder Sophia Merageas. Lulu Gray collected the rebound and lifted her bid into the left side of the net at the 2:48 mark.
• Looking for the equalizer, the Panthers collected a Mule turnover in the neutral zone with 7:20 left. Sabrina Kim gathered the loose puck, ripping an attempt that Busky saved with her pad. The rebound came back to Kim, but the Colby goalie stood her post and denied the bid.
• Middlebury nearly tied the contest with 2:01 remaining. Raia Schluter fired a one-timer that Busky pushed across her crease to thwart.
• Colby made it a 2-0 contest 1:08 into the middle frame when Audrey Shirer poked in a rebound that found space under the pad of Merageas.
• The Panthers had a great opportunity with 7:45 gone on a wraparound bid by Olivia Gordon. Busky held her ground, saving the bid on her left post.
• The Mules pushed it to a three-goal difference 51 seconds later. Molly Lefebvre secured a bouncing puck in the neutral zone and blasted a shot into the back of the net for a 3-0 lead at the 11:24 mark.
• Just past the midway point of the period, Olivia McManus fired a bid from the right dot that Busky saved and clanged off the post.
• With 5:18 elapsed in the third stanza, Merageas stuffed a pair of point-blank chances by Lizzy Hamel and Georgia Pettygrove to keep it a 3-0 contest. 
• Schluter had a quality chance just over two minutes later, corralling a rebound just outside the crease but Busky pushed across and made the save.
• The Panthers cycled the puck around the zone before Kate Flynn laced a one-timer from the left circle with 3:37 left that the Mule goalie denied with her blocker.
• Middlebury pulled Merageas for the final 1:51 in favor of an extra skater but couldn't find the back of the net for the final 3-0 tally.

NOTES

• The programs played for the 67th time. 

The Panthers close the regular-season portion of their schedule on Saturday when they square off again with the Mules at 3:00 p.m.