ELMIRA, N.Y. — The Middlebury College women’s hockey team returned to second-semester action on Jan. 3 by earning a 2-2 tie at Elmira.
The 5-2-1 Panthers entered the game ranked No. 4 in NCAA Division III, while the 9-1-1 Soaring Eagles — who defeated Middlebury earlier this season — were ranked No. 2.
The Panthers will skate at home this weekend versus Wesleyan on Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m.
In a scoreless first period, both teams launched 13 shots on goal.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead 50 seconds into the second period. Emily Fluke one-timed a shot home after a missed attempt by Hannah Bielawski
At the 17:12 mark of the second period, Elmira’s Erin Weston scored a power-play goal on a feed from Ashley Ryan. The teams were tied despite the Panthers’ 13-3 edge in shots during the second period.
At 5:06 of the third period, Weston scored her second goal after a steal in Elmira’s defensive zone that started a 3-on-2 breakout.
Individual efforts by Elizabeth Wulf and Katie Mandigo allowed the Panthers to even the game at 2-2 with 6:41 to play. In the Elmira zone, Wulf came out of a four-person scrum with the puck and sent it to Mandigo. Mandigo curled around the net and beat Nelson far post with a backhand for the game’s final score.
Panther goalie Madeleine Marsh made 26 stops, while Elmira’s Kyle Nelson made a career-high 35 saves as Middlebury failed to convert on five power plays.