The fifth-ranked/top-seeded Middlebury women's ice hockey team tallied a goal midway through the first period and held eighth-seeded Trinity to 23 shots on goal to seal a 1-0 victory in Saturday's NESCAC quarterfinal action from Chip Kenyon '85 Arena.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Bantams had a golden opportunity just 2:19 into the contest. Gabriela Gross forced a turnover deep in the Panther end and bolted to the net. Sophia Will stood her ground and scooped up the chance destined for the right side of the net.
• Trinity Walsh came down the ice and fired a shot at the 6:32 mark. Madeline Carter initially smothered the puck before it shifted out of the crease.
• The Panthers nearly cashed in an extra-skater opportunity with 9:44 expired. Olivia Gordon tapped a shot that bounced off Carter's right pad. Kate Flynn tried a rebound attempt, but Carter recovered to make the stop.
• McInerny netted the decisive tally at the 11:01 mark, firing a one-timer from the center of the circles that slipped past Carter for the 1-0 advantage.
• With 29 ticks left in the stanza, Lily Brook spun around and flipped a quick chance on the doorstep toward the left post. Will sprawled out and deflected it away with her stick.
• The visitors nearly knotted the contest during a power play at the 2:18 mark. Livia Angioletti laced a bid through a screen on the right post, but Will tracked the puck and smothered it.
• Flynn raced up the ice for a breakaway opportunity with 7:09 elapsed. The forward's tuck attempt near the right post was denied by a sliding Carter.
• With 2:07 remaining, Walsh sent a near full-sheet pass to Liv Fernandez. The Panther collected the puck between the circles and had her backhand bid bounce off Carter's pad.
• Nani Keyes put the final stanza's first shot on target with 6:42 elapsed via a backhand shot on the left post. Will stayed the course and made the combo stop with her stick and pad.
• Trinity jumped on the power play with less than four minutes to go and manufactured consecutive opportunities with 3:28 remaining. Angioletti blasted a shot that Will denied with her pad. The Bantam collected the bouncer and tried again, but the Panther netminder punched the rebound away.
• The Bantams pulled Carter with 17:58 elapsed and mustered just one shot on target as the Panthers clinched the 1-0 victory.

NOTES

• Will stopped all 23 shots on target for her 15th shutout in a Middlebury uniform. She became the first player in program history to have 500 or more saves in a campaign.
• McInerny tallied her 10th goal of the season and joins Walsh as the second Panther to have double-digit totals of both goals and assists this season.
• Zoe Pincelli went 12-of-16 in the faceoff circle.
• Middlebury earned its 50th victory in the series against Trinity.

The Panthers retain home ice to host the semifinals and championship of the NESCAC Tournament. Middlebury matches up with #10/fourth-seeded Colby on Saturday, March 7. The time of the contest is to be determined.