MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury College women’s soccer team earned a win and a tie in two NESCAC games this past weekend. The Panthers improved to 3-1-1 overall and 1-1-1 in league play. They will travel to Bowdoin for another NESCAC game on Saturday.
On Sunday, Hamilton (2-2-1, 1-2-1) and Middlebury played to a 1-1 stalemate when the Panthers scored the tying score on a restart with 1:50 left in regulation. The Panthers flooded the box after a Continental foul, and Eliza Robinson lofted the ball toward the left post. Eliza Van Voorhis cut into the box and headed the ball back into the far corner.
Hamilton earned an edge in play in the first half, particularly in the final 20 minutes, and scored with 3:09 remaining. Cat Gambino took a Kayleigh Harris pass at the top of the box and beat a defender toward her left, back to the center of the field before pounding a left-footed shot into the upper left corner.
Middlebury dominated the second half, outshooting Hamilton 13-1. Their best chance before the equalizer came when Virginia Charman’s long shot from the right side of the box hit the bottom of the crossbar near the bar post and bounced out.
Two minutes into the second overtime, Panther goalie Ursula Alwang (four saves) charged off her line to deny a bid from the left side by a sprinting Katie Kreider. Charman created two chances, crossing a ball that Hamilton goalkeeper Emily Dumont (six saves) punched away and also shooting a 12-yard shot wide right after pouncing on a loose ball.    
On Saturday, the Panthers scored twice to erase a 1-0 first-half deficit and knock off host Amherst (3-2, 1-1 NESCAC), which entered the contest ranked No. 12 in NCAA Division III.
The Mammoths scored in the 18th minute when Delancey King’s 40-yard shot bounced over Alwang. Middlebury tied the contest with 5:08 remaining in the half, when Clare Robinson headed in a free kick at the far post that was struck by Eliza Robinson from the left side.
Amherst came on strong to open the second half, but the Panthers scored against the run of play at 61:30. Gretchen McGrath made a strong run down the right side and slid a pass to Amanda Dafonte at the 18. Dafonte took one touch and then pounded the ball back into the upper right corner.
Amherst pressed late. The Panther defense blocked a number of shots, Alwang (six saves) came out and sprawled to make a kick save when a Mammoth player broke in alone from the 18, and another Amherst bid from the right side glanced off the top of the crossbar. Chelsea Cutler made four saves for Amherst, which held advantages of 13-8 in shots and 4-1 in corner kicks.