The third-ranked Middlebury women's ice hockey team scored three goals in Tuesday evening's opening period and did not look back en route to a 9-1 triumph over SUNY Potsdam from Chip Kenyon '85 Arena.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Susannah Ward was the first to test Bears' goalie Maddy Ferguson in the opening period, firing a shot from the blue line. The netminder denied the bid with her blocker at the 3:10 mark.
• With 15:06 showing in the frame, Jessika Bullock dialed up an attempt from the left faceoff circle that Panther goalie Lauren Sobczak gloved.
• The guests broke through 25 seconds later. Alessia Marandola sent the puck to Rebecca Cain in the left circle, who flicked a quick feed to Jalynn Castro for a one-timer into the right side of the net to jump ahead 1-0.
• At the 7:40 mark, Sasha Weiner sent a pass between the circles that Britt Nawrocki tapped left. Rachel Neyman capitalized on the angle, lifting the puck into the goal to knot the bout at 1-1.
• Trinity Walsh gave Middlebury the lead just 20 seconds later, following Caroline Thomas on the break and guiding her pass into the net to establish a 2-1 advantage through eight minutes.
• The hosts kept the momentum rolling with 8:42 remaining. Peyton Kennedy won a battle on the boards, freeing up the puck for Zoe Pincelli to dart up the ice and connect with Olivia Gordon on the left post, doubling the lead (3-1).
• Potsdam manufactured an opportunity with 19:32 elapsed. Marissa Whiteside fired a bid to the left side that Sobczak denied with her blocker to maintain the two-goal margin at the end of the period.
• The navy and white added to the advantage less than two minutes into the second session. Pincelli had a point-blank look saved before Sarah Anthony deposited the rebound in the opposite corner, extending the lead to three (4-1) with 18:15 left.
• Alyssa Frazier logged the fifth Panther tally with 6:41 expired, parking herself on the edge of the crease and sending a bid into the back of the net.
• Castro and Marandola tested Sobczak twice with close-range attempts at the 12:21 mark. The goalie stonewalled the first look before covering the second.
• Another rebound chance followed with 5:40 left. Avery McInerny started a breakaway and had a look denied, but Walsh trailed for the tap-in that built a five-goal margin (6-1) after 40 minutes of action.
• Adrienne Hall and McInerny tallied back-to-back markers just seven seconds apart to begin the third frame. Hall tipped a puck in front to avoid the Potsdam netminder, while McInerny won the ensuing faceoff forward and pinged a bid off the right pipe and in for an 8-1 margin
• Thomas added the final goal with 11:13 to go, skating across the crease and faking twice before tapping the puck into the right side of the net to grow the lead to eight.
• With 13 seconds left, Jayne Gamburg flicked a wrister from the faceoff circle that Bridget Gray stopped with her stick to finalize the 9-1 score.

NOTES

• Walsh tallied a season-high four points on two goals and two assists. The rookie has logged three goals and four assists over her last three contests.
• Olivia McManus logged her 30th career assist.
• Middlebury's nine goals mark the program's highest single-game total since the 2010-11 campaign.
• 16 different Panthers logged a point in the win.
• The programs met for the sixth time.

Middlebury embarks on a four-game road trip, beginning against #15 Plattsburgh State on Tuesday, February 3 at 7:00 p.m.