BRUNSWICK, Maine — The Middlebury College women’s hockey team split a pair of one-goal games this past weekend at NESCAC rival Bowdoin and now stand at 9-3-2, 5-2-1 in league play.
The Panthers are in a battle for first place in the league with Connecticut (7-3 NESCAC), Amherst (5-3-2), Williams (6-4) and Hamilton (4-3-1). The Panthers host Hamilton this weekend on Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m.
On this past Saturday Bowdoin’s Marissa Fichter scored with less than a minute remaining in overtime to lift the Polar Bears to a 2-1 win. Bowdoin improved to 9-6-2, 4-4-1 NESCAC, with the weekend split.
Bowdoin’s Jill Rathke scored the game’s first goal on a power play slapshot from the blue line 2:48 into the middle frame.
Middlebury tied the game late in the third period while on a six-on-four advantage. Bowdoin was whistled for penalty with 1:30 left in regulation, and goalie Lin Han (20 saves) was pulled for an extra skater. With 1:16 to go, Janka Hlinka deflected home Carly Watson’s shot from the right point past Bowdoin goalie Kerri St. Denis (30 saves). 
In an overtime that saw penalties on both sides, Fichter converted a breakaway with 56 seconds left for the game-winner.
On Friday, Panther Lizzie Sheline’s first career goal broke a 1-1 tie in the third period, and the Panthers went on to win, 2-1.
Jessica Young put Middlebury ahead at 7:01 of the second period, roofing the rebound of her own wraparound bid.  
Polar Bears evened the game 3:14 into the third period on the second of two consecutive power plays, when Kaite Leininger netted a rebound past Panther netminder Julia Neuburger.
Sheline’s game-winner came when she took a feed from Hlinka from the right side and slid a shot inside the far post. 
St. Denis made 24 stops for the Polar Bears, while Neuburger made 20 saves for Middlebury.