Middlebury College

The #2 Middlebury field hockey team tallied Saturday's first two goals and held off comeback attempts from #20 Bates to secure a 4-2 road triumph over the Bobcats.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Panthers looked to strike 2:19 into the opening quarter. Hadley Crowther posted up in front of goalie Ava Donohue and spun to her right. Donohue stood tall and denied the look with her pads.
• Nearly a minute later, the visitors kept the pressure up. Crowther sent a looping shot from the left side that Donohue swatted away with her blocker.
• Bates had a quality chance with 5:31 expired following a penalty corner. Elena Agosti fired from just inside the circle, but Middlebury goalie Izzy Redzic dove to her right and denied the shot.
• The Panthers took the lead with 2:42 showing on the clock. Addie Chandler converted a penalty-stroke goal that found space inside the left post for the 1-0 edge.
• Middlebury quickly took a 2-0 advantage just 26 seconds into the second stanza. Chandler dribbled down the right side of the field and slipped a pass on the run to Crowther, who one-timed her shot into the cage. 
• The Bobcats sliced into the deficit following a penalty corner with 10:51 elapsed. Caroline Nowak ripped a bid that trickled over the goal line for the 2-1 tally.
• The navy and white nearly tacked on a third goal 1:26 into the third quarter, but a rising chance from Megan Fuqua whistled wide of the left post.
• Three minutes later, Middlebury produced its best look of the frame. Hadley Torre sent a low, bouncing shot toward the netting. Haley Dwight dropped her stick and denied the point-blank bid in front of the goal line for the defensive save.
• The Panthers produced the first look in an action-packed fourth quarter. Anna Powell lined up a shot from the top of the circle 1:44 into action, but Donohue kicked it aside.
• Middlebury pushed its edge to a pair (3-1) about three minutes later. Fuqua cashed in a penalty-stroke attempt past a diving Donohue into the lower-left corner.
• Bates trimmed the lead back to one with 3:40 melted off the clock. Dwight lunged and pushed in a crossing pass from Elena Agosti to make it 3-2.
• With 5:29 left, a great individual effort by Emma McNealy resulted in a tally. The midfielder collected a loose ball along the left sideline and dribbled to the end line, lifting a shot over the shoulder of Donohue for a 4-2 advantage.
• The Bobcats had one final chance in the waning minutes. Elsa Copeland tipped a pass near the front of the cage, which goalie Madeline DiLemme thwarted with her pad to preserve the 4-2 decision.

NOTES

• Chandler has nine points (4G, 1A) in her last two games.
• Middlebury and Bates squared off for the 53rd occasion with the navy and white holding a 46-6-1 advantage in the all-time series.

The Panthers close out the regular-season portion of their schedule when they host #8 Williams on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.