The second-ranked Middlebury women's lacrosse team had an early defensive stand and scored 21 seconds later on its way to a 19-4 win Sunday over #8 York (Pa.). With the triumph, the Panthers secured a spot in the NCAA Semifinals for the sixth-straight year. During the contest, Hope Shue became the program's single-season record holder for points (107).
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Spartans won the opening draw control and earned a free-position attempt. Maddie Ross sent a bid, but Middlebury goalie Elizabeth Savage saved the point-blank attempt. Madison Paylor secured the ground ball and the hosts raced up the field and grabbed a 1-0 lead when Caroline Messer netted a give-and-go with Shue at the 12:55 mark. 
• Messer's tally started a five-goal spurt over the next 10:39. Caroline Adams stripped the ball deep in York's defensive end, before burying her shot into the left panel. 
• Maggie Coughlin made it 3-0 with 5:44 showing on the clock, spinning to her right and ripping a bid over goalie Bella Garabo's right shoulder.
• Shue increased the advantage to 5-0 with 2:16 left in the initial quarter with a pair of free-position markers.
• York broke through 46 seconds later when Sydney Mentzer worked her way to the middle of the field and found nylon to make it a 5-1 contest.
• The Panthers pushed their lead back to five (6-1) with 21 ticks remaining when Skylar Lach bounced her attempt into the lower-right corner off a feed from Coughlin.
• Middlebury outscored the Spartans 7-0 in the second stanza, including three from Shue and two  from Adams and Coughlin to make it 13-1 heading into halftime.
• The Spartans had a quality chance 3:47 into the third quarter, but Savage made a save on a wrap-around shot from the left post by Gianna Huet.
• The Panthers rattled off the next three goals, highlighted by a tally from Jamee Numan, who rifled her bid into the right panel, for a 16-1 advantage with 7:37 left.
• Nearly two minutes later, York scored when Zoe Kluegel muscled a shot into the top-left corner off a feed from Krista Yarusso.
• The Spartans recorded the first two goals of the final stanza, as Yarusso skipped a free-position shot into the left panel while a player up and Kluegel scored with 8:27 remaining to make it 16-4.
• Middlebury recorded the last three markers, including a pair from Maeve Lee to claim the 19-4 triumph.

NOTES

• Shue tallied eight points (5G, 3A) to put her at 107 for the season. That breaks the single-campaign mark of 106 shared by Shue (2024) and Jane Earley (2023). It is her third season of 100-plus points.
• With her five goals today, Shue has 70 in her NCAA Tournament career, the highest total in Division III postseason history.
• Sunday's matchup was the fifth between the programs and the third in NCAA Tournament action. Middlebury has won all five contests, claiming NCAA quarterfinal wins in 2015 (10-8) and 2018 (11-10) over the Spartans in postseason play.

The Panthers advance to the NCAA Semifinal round to battle #4 Colby on Friday at 4:00 p.m. at Donald J. Kerr Stadium in Salem, Virginia.

POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE