MIDDLEBURY — The top-seeded Middlebury College field hockey team pulled away late to defeat visiting No. 8, Bates, 4-1, in a NESCAC quarterfinal on Saturday. 9-7
The Panthers (14-2), winners of 10 straight games, will host the NESCAC final four this weekend, while Bates finished at 9-7. On Saturday, Middlebury will host No. 7 Bowdoin at 11 a.m. Third-seeded Williams and fifth-seeded Trinity play the other semifinal at 1:30 p.m., and the winners will meet at noon on Sunday for the NESCAC title and the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament. The Panthers are ranked No. 2 in NCAA D-III.
This past Saturday, Middlebury took the lead 6:06 into the game on an Emma Johns goal. Annie Leonard carried up the right side and centered to Johns, who ripped a shot home.
Middlebury made it 2-0 3:37 before halftime, when Grace Jennings poked in a rebound of a Marissa Baker shot.
The Bobcats pulled to within 2-1 with 16:49 gone in the second half on a Taylor Lough solo move.
The Panthers answered 51 seconds later. Jennings intercepted a Bates’ pass at midfield, split a pair of defenders on her way to the cage, and tucked a shot in the right side of the net. 
Middlebury tacked on a final goal in the last minute, when Baker one-timed in a pass from Isabel Chandler 
Panther goalie Abby Furdak made a pair of saves for the victory, while Adelae Durand made five stops for Bates. Middlebury held a 10-4 advantage in shots.