The top-ranked Middlebury women's ice hockey team held off a late charge from Trinity to claim a 2-1 victory. Cat Appleyard scored both of the Panther's tallies just 1:13 apart in the second period, while Jordan Hower skated in her 100th career game.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Bantams looked to open the scoring with nearly six minutes expired. An initial bid by Annika Dyczkowski from the slot was denied by netminder Sophia Merageas. Alexis Hornsby fired a quick rebound attempt on the left pipe, but Merageas was ready and steered the puck away.
• The best chance for Middlebury in the opening stanza came with 9:25 expired, but Britt Nawrocki's flick from the edge of the left faceoff circle was thwarted with a split save from goalie Madeline Carter. 
• With 9:19 gone by in the middle frame, the Panthers had a great opportunity to break the deadlock. Down a skater, Hower barreled toward the offensive zone with a breakaway opportunity, but the forward could not get a shot off, as she was tripped by a Bantam defender.
• Middlebury took a 1-0 edge at the 16:57 mark when Appleyard dug the puck out of the left boards before skating across the circles and depositing the puck into the goal. 
• Appleyard struck again 1:13 later during a power play, redirecting a bid by Kate Flynn for the 2-0 advantage. 
• The Panthers came out of the second intermission strong as Hower rifled a shot from the right dot that Carter kicked away with just eight ticks off the clock. 
• Middlebury looked to increase the lead with 7:24 off the clock, but Calia Ferraris' one-timer hit the left pipe and pinged away.
• Midway through the stanza, Trinity's Liv Angioletti and Kate French had a two-on-one, but Merageas came up with a big stop on Angioletti's point-blank bid.
• The Bantams cut the deficit in half (2-1) at the 12:53 mark. An initial shot by Jenny Guider was turned away by the pad of Merageas, but Guider was patient, following the puck to the opposite side of the crease and tipping it past an outstretched Merageas. 
• Trinity pulled its goalie with 33 seconds left in the contest, but Middlebury held strong to secure the 2-1 victory. 

NOTES

• The Panthers and the Bantams played for the 54th time as Middlebury claimed its 46th win in the series. 
• Appleyard's two goals were a season-best.

The squads take to the ice again on Saturday with a 3:00 p.m. puck drop in Chip Kenyon '85 Arena.