MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury College women’s hockey team opened its campaign by sweeping two games from visiting NESCAC foe Colby this past weekend, 2-0 on Sunday and 7-1 on Saturday. The Panthers, ranked No. 4 in NCAA Division III, do not play at home again until January. Next up are two games at Trinity this weekend.
On Sunday, Panther goalie Madeline Marsh made 13 saves in a 2-0 victory. Middlebury took a 1-0 lead 1:33 into the game when Carly Watson scored with a shot through traffic from the left point. The Panthers nearly doubled their lead with 2:30 remaining, but Allie Aiello’s tip of an Emily Fluke pass was saved by Colby netminder Jessica Thulin (25 saves).
After a back-and-forth second period, the Panthers broke through 4:31 into the third period when freshman Janka Hlinka scored her first Middlebury goal, netting the rebound of a Fluke shot. Middlebury outshot Colby 27-13 in the game.
On Saturday, the Panthers also struck early, scoring on a power play 1:31 into the game when Fluke potted a rebound of a Watson shot from the right point. Aiello made it 2-0 with 2:46 remaining in the period with a wrister to the high glove side from the right circle.
Middlebury took a 3-0 lead 5:02 into the second period with a goal from freshman Elizabeth Wulf, her first as a Panther. Wulf converted the rebound of a Julia Wardwell shot.
The Panthers then scored four times in the third to win going away. Watson found the back of the net through traffic from the left point.
Colby got on the board 11:04 into the period, when Nikki Donato whipped a rebound from the slot past Panther netminder Annabelle Jones (10 saves).
Middlebury answered 1:21 later when Hannah Bielawski one-timed a cross-crease pass from Kelly Sherman. The final two goals came on a Bielawski rebound score and Victoria Laven’s deflected shot from the point, her career first. Middlebury finished the game with a 31-11 shots advantage, and Colby goalie Angelica Crites stopped 24 shots.