The Panthers stand at the blue line during pregame ceremonies.
The #6/top-seeded Middlebury women's ice hockey team is set to host NESCAC Championship weekend, as the squad vies for the program's 13th crown. The Panthers host #10/fourth-seeded Colby on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. inside Chip Kenyon '85 Arena, while #5/second-seeded Amherst and #9/third-seeded Williams faceoff at 4:30 p.m.
ABOUT MIDDLEBURY
- The program has competed in every conference tournament since the inaugural installment in 2002.
- Middlebury touts a league-best playoff record of 48-12. Amherst sits in second place with 37 victories.
- The Panthers pace the NESCAC with 12 championships, with the most recent coming in 2024.
- Middlebury has advanced to the semifinals on 21 occasions, including nine of the last 10.
- The squad is first in the league in assists per game (5.80), points per game (9.04) and power-play percentage (.242), while tying for most goals scored at 81 and the third-best goals against average (GAA) of 1.36.
PANTHERS TO WATCH
- Protecting the crease, Sophia Will is fourth in the NESCAC with a GAA of 1.36 across nearly 1,400 minutes. The netminder sits tied for third with a .944 save percentage and became Middlebury's single-season leader in saves earlier this season with 520 and counting.
- Blueliners Alyssa Frazier, Olivia McManus and Susannah Ward have played in each of the Panthers' 25 contests this year. McManus leads the team with 29 blocked shots, while Ward (27) and Frazier (20) are right behind. Together, the defenders have contributed 44 points (7G, 37A), with McManus leading the group with 16 helpers.
- The rookie pair of Caroline Thomas and Trinity Walsh pack a one-two punch in the offensive zone this season. Thomas paces the league with 17 goals and has nine assists. Walsh is first in the NESCAC with 32 points and tops the charts with 21 assists. She also leads the program with five game-winning goals.
- Avery McInerny is a potent offensive threat. The senior is tied for the top spot in the NESCAC with a plus/minus of +25 and sits second in points (30) and helpers (20).
- Middlebury's offense is also led by Kate Flynn (7G, 10A), Olivia Gordon (5G, 7A) and Britt Nawrocki (6G, 4A). Flynn has a share of second with McInerny with three game-winning goals.
ABOUT COLBY
- The Mules are seeking the program's first NESCAC Championship and look to make the title game for the first time since 2008.
- Colby is making its 22nd appearance in the tournament, owning a 13-21 record in postseason play.
- The Mules cruised by fifth-seeded Hamilton 6-2 in the quarterfinals.
- The team paces the league with 3.38 goals per game and is tied with Middlebury in goals (81). Colby is right behind the Panthers in assists per game (4.96), points per game (8.33) and power-play percentage (.224).
MULES TO WATCH
- In the crease, Ally Martinello has played over 1,000 minutes for the squad. The netminder sports a 13-4-1 mark with a 1.24 GAA and .943 save percentage.
- Defenders Allie Corrieri and Jo Tattersoll have started all 24 contests. Corrieri paces the squad with 25 blocked shots and ranks sixth with 14 points (4G, 10A). Tattersoll has 10 points on two goals and eight assists.
- Beth Sinson leads the league with an impressive faceoff percentage of .650. Playing in every game, the senior is third on the team with 13 points (3G, 10A).
- Molly Lefebvre and Courtney Schumacher lead the offensive output for the Mules. Lefebvre leads the squad with 18 points (10G, 8A) and has three golden goals. Schumacher is tied for the top spot in the conference in power-play markers (five) and sharessecond with 13 total tallies. The senior also paces Colby with four game-winners.
ABOUT AMHERST
- The Mammoths seek to defend their title from a year ago, boasting the second-most championships (six) and tournament wins (37) behind Middlebury.
- Amherst has advanced to the championship game in seven of the last nine years, taking on the Panthers in six of those.
- The Mammoths edged seventh-seeded Bowdoin 2-1 in overtime during the quarterfinal round.
- Amherst sits atop the NESCAC rankings in goals allowed per game (0.76) and goals against (19).
- Netminder Natalie Stott is the anchor of the defensive unit, leading the league with a minuscule 0.70 GAA and an impressive .968 save percentage.
- Maeve Reynolds is second in the conference in faceoff win percentage (.611) and third in points with 27 (10G, 17A). Gretchen Dann is second with 13 tallies and five game winners.
ABOUT WILLIAMS
- The Ephs have hoisted the NESCAC trophy twice (2014 and 2019) and look to advance to the title contest for the first time since the program's second championship.
- Williams is making its 23rd appearance in the tournament and eased past sixth-seeded Wesleyan 5-3 in the quarterfinals.
- The Ephs are second in the league in save percentage (.958), GAA (1.30), goals allowed (34) and shutouts (four).
- Erin Pye has played a majority of the season in the net for Williams, ranking second in GAA (1.18) and save percentage (.965), while tying for first with a trio of shutouts.
- Grace Johnson, Celine Mayer and Laney Mead have played in all 25 contests this season and have 30 or more blocked shots on the year.
- The Ephs are balanced in the offensive zone with Lucie Bond (8G, 10A), Charlotte Fetherston (8G, 10A) and Savana Littlewood (5G, 13A) all tallying 18 points.
SERIES HISTORY VS. MIDDLEBURY
- Middlebury and Colby meet for the third time this winter and the 72nd overall, with the Panthers holding 55-15-1 advantage.
- The sides split the regular-season meetings with Middlebury winning 3-2 on February 20 and the Mules winning 3-1 the next day.
- The programs have squared off eight times in the NESCAC Tournament and four in the semifinals. The Panthers have won three of four semifinal battles, including 3-0 triumphs in each of the last two editions.
- If the Panthers and Amherst advance to the title game, it will be a rematch from a year ago, where the Mammoths prevailed 1-0. The teams have faced off 71 times, with Middlebury owning a 39-15-17 mark. Earlier this year, the teams tied 1-1 in the opening game, where the Panthers claimed the shootout 1-0, before Amherst won 3-1 the following day. The programs have met 12 times in the tournament, with 10 battlescoming in the championship contest. Middlebury has won seven of those matchups.
- If the Panthers and Williams meet in the title tilt on Sunday, it would be the 96th all-time contest. Middlebury holds an 82-7-6 record in the series, as the Panthers claimed a 5-1 win earlier this season and the Ephs won a scoreless draw in the shootout, 1-0. The programs have met nine times in the NESCAC Tournament. Williams has won both of the championship battles in 2002 and 2019.
CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION
