PLATTSBURGH — Top-ranked Plattsburgh defeated the visiting No. 7 Middlebury College women’s hockey team on Tuesday, 3-0, in the 5-3-3 Panthers’ fifth straight game against an opponent ranked in the top 10 in NCAA Division III.
That result followed a pair of ties at No. 6 Amherst (8-0-3) this past weekend in a battle of the first- and second-place teams in NESCAC. The Panthers return to action this weekend, when they host Utica at 7 p.m. on Friday and Endicott at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
On Tuesday, Plattsburgh improved to 13-0 with the victory. The Cardinals took the lead at 1:07 of the second period, when Melissa Sheeran converted on the rebound of an Erin Brand slap shot from the point. 
At 11:27 of the same period, Kayla Meneghin knocked in the rebound of another Brand shot from the point to make it 2-0.
Meneghin added an empty-netter with 10 seconds left in regulation to create the final score.
Cardinal goaltender Camille Leonard finished with a 16-save shutout, while Panther goalie Julia Neuburger made 28 saves.
On Saturday, the Panthers scored twice in the final 7:41 to forge a 3-3 tie at Amherst. Jessica Young gave Middlebury a 1-0 lead with 6:57 left to play in the second period after a scoreless first stanza. She intercepted a pass and sent a shot into the top-right corner from point-blank range.
Amherst netted the next three goals. One minute and 20 seconds later, Jocelyn Hunyadi tipped Caitlyn Ryan’s power-play shot in over Neuburger.
Amherst’s Erin Martin made it 2-1 at 4:50 of the third period with an end-to-end rush, and Emma Greise finished a two-on-one rush just a little more than four minutes later by going top shelf. 
Victoria Laven began Middlebury’s comeback with 7:41 remaining in regulation by tipping Kelly Sherman’s shot past Amherst goalie Sabrina Dobbins.
On the power play with 2:46 to go, Middlebury’s Elizabeth Wulf deflected home a Young shot to knot the score at 3-3.
The Panthers put six shots on net in overtime and hit a pipe in the final minute. Both goalies were credited with 28 saves.
On Friday, the teams settled for a 2-2 tie. After a scoreless first period, Middlebury took a 1-0 lead 4:04 into the second of the period, when Maddie Winslow buried the rebound of a Shanna Hickman shot.
Amherst tied the game at 5:20 of the period, when Katelyn Pantera scored on a power play. Amherst went ahead later in the period, when Sara Culhane took advantage of a turnover and scored on a three-on-one rush.
The Panthers tied the game early in the third when Allie Aiello tipped home a Haley LaFontaine shot. Neuburger made 22 saves for Middlebury, and Dobbins finished with 30 stops for Amherst.