Women’s cross country wins title
 
WAVERLY, Iowa — The Middlebury College women’s cross country team on Saturday won its sixth NCAA Division III championship and the school’s 31st NCAA title since Middlebury and other NESCAC schools began competing in national tournaments in 1995.
The Panther women’s eight-point win over second-place Washington (Missouri) meant Middlebury head coach Terry Aldrich ended his 36-year career at the College in style, as a national champion. In addition to guiding the women’s cross-country program to six titles, Aldrich enjoyed successful tenures with the Panther alpine and Nordic ski programs.
The Middlebury women previously won NCAA crowns in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2008. The Panther men on Saturday also made their first-ever appearance at the championship event and placed 21st in races held at Wartburg College.
The women won the title with 185 points, with Washington at 193. M.I.T. was third (214), followed by Wisconsin-Eau Claire (218) and Williams (230).
Freshman Collette Whitney led the women with a 24th-place finish overall, earning a time of 21:52. Next for the Panthers was sophomore Addie Tousley in 29th in 21:57.4, followed closely by junior Margo Cramer in 31st (21:58). Senior Hannah Meier of Charlotte finished in 47th (22:12), and junior Claire McIlvennie rounded out the scorers in 22:18, good for 54th.
Also racing for the Panthers were freshmen Maddie Hubbell and Katie Rominger. Hubbell finished 66th (22:27), while Rominger came in 118th (22:55).
Junior Michael Schmidt led the team’s team with a 34th place finish in 25:04. Sophomore Jack Davies was next in 96th (25:39), followed by senior Jack Terrett in 110th (25:46). Freshmen Greg Krathwohl and Nate Sans rounded out the Middlebury scorers, finishing in 114th (25:48) and 166th (26:15) respectively.
Also competing for the Panthers were sophomore Taylor Sundali, who placed 179th (26:26) and junior Sam Miller, who came in 216th (27:30). Haverford won the men’s race, followed by North Central and St. Lawrence.
 
Men’s soccer bows out in overtime
 
BRUNSWICK, Maine — Host Bowdoin knocked the Middlebury College men’s soccer team out of the NCAA Division III tournament on Sunday, 2-1, in overtime in a quarterfinal.
The 16-4-1 Panthers held a late lead in regulation, but the 15-1-4 Polar Bears, who hosted a weekend sectional, scored to tie the game and force extra time before winning 9:59 into overtime.
Polar Bear Zach Danssaert tallied the game-winner with a second left in the first overtime period, banging home a rebound of a Nick Powell shot that hit the post.
Brett Brazier gave Middlebury the lead 2:20 into the second half with an assist from Rob Cole. The Panthers held that lead until 81:46, when Eddie Jones tied the score with an unassisted goal.
Bowdoin held edges in shots (16-13) and corner kicks (9-6), but Bowdoin goalie Dan Hicks had to make more saves — seven — than the Panthers’ Tim Cahill — five.
The Panthers reached the NCAA quarterfinal round for the third time in four years by defeating Babson (16-4-2) at Bowdoin on Saturday. Their 16 wins this season are second in program history only to the 18 recorded by the 2007 NCAA championship team.
On Saturday, the Panthers edged Babson, 1-0. Both teams had chances in the first half. Middlebury nearly broke through at 34:25, when Jon Portman hit the left post from the top of the box.
Portman had another great opportunity in the closing minutes of the first, but Babson goalie Peter Crowley (six saves) stopped his shot and the Beavers cleared the rebound off the goal line.
At 73:40 of the second half, Crowley made a diving save on Tyler Macnee, but soon afterward the Panthers broke through. Macnee intercepted a Babson pass near midfield and slid a through ball to Otis Pitney, who broke in alone on Crowley and tucked a shot into the lower right corner at 79:03. Cahill made his only save six minutes later. Middlebury outshot the Beavers, 17-5.
 
 
 
 
Women’s hockey wins twice
 
MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury College women’s hockey team opened its season with two NESCAC road wins this past weekend. 
On Saturday Heidi Woodworth’s second-period power-play goal with 8:21 remaining in the second period proved to be the difference as Middlebury outlasted host Connecticut College, 3-2. The Camels dropped to 1-1.
Sara Ugalde and Grace Waters scored first period power-play goals for Middlebury and Panther goalie Alexi Bloom made 24 saves. Sophomore Amy Leichliter made 41 saves in the setback for the Camels. 
The Panthers held a 26-6 shot advantage in the opening period and carried a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. In the middle period, the Camels responded with the equalizer before Woodworth restored the Middlebury lead by netting the rebound of an Anna McNally shot.  
In the third period, Middlebury was assessed with a high-sticking penalty with 1:56 remaining. With 45 seconds left, the Camels emptied their net to gain a two-woman advantage, and Bloom made a point-blank save with 15 seconds left to preserve the victory.
On Friday, Middlebury out shot Hamilton, 49-22, on its way to a 3-0 road win. Bloom made 22 saves to earn the shutout.
Woodworth opened the scoring with a power play goal 8:49 into the first period. She netted her second power play tally of the game at 4:01 of the second, with Heather Marrison earning her second assist. Julia Ireland capped the scoring in the third period with an unassisted goal.
 
 
Women’s hoop wins N.Y. tourney
 
BROCKPORT, N.Y. — The Middlebury College women’s basketball team this past weekend opened its season by capturing the SUNY-Brockport tournament. Middlebury’s Lauren Sanchez earned tournament MVP honors, while Brittany Perfetti was named to the All-Tournament team.
On Saturday, the Panthers topped SUNY-Brockport, 63-47, in the title game. Sanchez scored 17 to lead the team, and between the two tournament games hit 23 of 26 free throws in 70 minutes. Perfetti added 15 points, while Stephany Surette contributed six points and 11 rebounds. The Panthers held a 40-36 edge on the boards and picked up 10 steals.
On Friday, Middlebury opened with a 81-71 win over Nazareth. Sanchez scored a career-high 30 points in the win, going nine of 13 from the floor, 12 of 14 from the free throw line, and recording four of the Panthers’ 13 steals.
The Panthers shot .491 from the floor, including .548 in the first half on the way to a 38-37 lead at the break. Surrette added 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Katie Pett scored 11, and Maddie Moreau added 10, while Jesse Miller picked up six points and eight boards.
 
Men’s basketball takes two in Mass.
 
DARTMOUTH, Mass. — The Middlebury College men’s basketball team opened its season by capturing a four-team tournament at UMass-Dartmouth on Friday and Saturday. 
On Saturday, Ryan Wholey scored 21 points on nine of 13 shooting to lead Middlebury to an 86-62 win over host UMass.-Dartmouth in the tournament final. Middlebury’s Ryan Sharry earned tourney MVP honors, while Wholey and Andrew Locke were named to the all-yournament team. The Panthers opened the season ranked No. 9 in NCAA Division III.
In Saturday’s game Middlebury shot .527 from the floor, including.581 in the first half. The Panthers controlled the boards, holding a 41-27 advantage, and connected on seven of 11 from three-point land.
Sharry scored 15 points with 11 rebounds in the win. Nolan Thompson added 10 points, while Jake Wolfin had six assists.
The Panthers opened on Friday with a 63-60 win over Baruch. The Panthers held their opponents to.308 from the floor and earned a 51-39 advantage on the boards. Middlebury overcame poor free throw (14-24) and three-point shooting (1-13) to emerge with the win.
The tightly contested game was tied on 15 occasions, including 60-60 with 26 seconds left. Middlebury then took the lead on a Wolfin jumper with six seconds left.
The Bearcats had a chance to tie the game on free throws with two seconds left, but could not connect and Middlebury finished off the victory with a late free throw.
Locke led Middlebury with 17 points and 10 rebounds on seven of nine shooting. Sharry added 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Nolan Thompson contributed 11 points. Wolfin finished with eight points and six assists, while Wholey had six points with seven boards.