The Middlebury women's basketball team staved off a late comeback attempt from Colby on Saturday, claiming a 57-53 triumph in a game that was close throughout. Before the contest, the program honored seniors Brooke Collins, Amanda Hill, Calie Messina and Gabby Stuart.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Trailing 4-0 less than a minute into the first quarter, the Panthers rattled off an 8-0 spurt spanning 3:06 of action. Highlighting the surge were three-pointers from Messina and Emma Kirck sandwiched around a driving bucket by Stuart.
• The Mules whittled away at the deficit, making it a one-point contest (13-12) on a layup by Lauren Cho with 44 seconds left.
• A three from Lydia Mordarski and a bucket by Kate Olenik gave the visitors a 17-13 edge 1:59 into the second stanza.
• Middlebury answered with seven of the next nine points, kick-started by an old-fashioned three-point play by Messina, for a 20-19 lead at 3:28.
• The sides traded small advantages before a free throw from Chelsea Ibenegbu pushed the Colby advantage to a pair (26-24) at the halftime break.
• The Mule lead grew to 32-28 on a transition layup from Olenik with 2:08 expired in the third frame.
• The Panthers closed the quarter on a 13-2 run for a 41-34 advantage. Messina tallied five during the span, while Collins netted four.
• The lead grew to eight (44-36) on a corner three by Stuart early in the fourth.
• The teams exchanged jolts over the next six minutes before a turnaround jumper in the paint from Islay Moore gave Middlebury a 53-45 lead at 2:45.
• Colby wouldn't go away, pulling within one (54-53) with 14 seconds left on a long-distance make from Emily Ryan.
• With the Mules forced to foul, Stuart and Collins combined for three free throws to secure the final 57-53 triumph.

NOTES

• Moore paced three Panthers in double figures, finishing with a near double-double of 13 points and nine rebounds. 
• Messina and Stuart each tallied 12 points, while Collins tallied a career-best nine off the bench.
• The programs played for the 41st time with the Mules holding a narrow 22-19 edge in the series.

Middlebury returns to action on Friday, traveling to Amherst for a 7:00 p.m. contest.