MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury College field hockey team remained undefeated with a pair of NESCAC wins this past weekend, a tight home contest and a big road victory, both over ranked opponents.
The 5-0 Panthers entered the weekend ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division III. On this coming Saturday at noon they will host Bowdoin (4-0), which was ranked No. 10 entering this past weekend.
On this past Saturday host Middlebury took a 4-0 lead and held off then No. 19 Amherst, 5-4. The Mammoths dropped to 1-2.
Middlebury took a 3-0 lead in the first half on two goals by Emma Johns, one on the rebound of a Kelly Coyle shot and the other assisted by Isabel Chandler on a penalty corner, and one late goal by Molly Freeman, who tipped in a feed from Grace Jennings after Jennings made a long run down the left side.
The Panthers made it 4-0 to open the second half when Danielle Brown finished off another Jennings assist after a long rush.
The Mammoths capitalized on almost all their chances to get back in their game, scoring three times in seven minutes. Emery Sorvino’s goal at 39:59 on a penalty corner snapped the scoreless streak of 354:33 that the Middlebury defense had recorded that dated back to the 2017 NCAA tournament semifinal.
Caroline Donahue next deflected home a Sorvino shot, and at 47:08 Laura Schwartman tipped a long feed past onrushing Panther goalie Megan Collins to make it 4-3.
Johns soon made it 5-3 on a perfectly executed penalty corner, knocking a shot inside the left post on a feed from Chandler, and that proved to be the game-winner when at 57:10 Mammoth Franny Daniels beat Collins from near the left post.
Middlebury finished the game with advantages of 15-6 in shots and 7-1 in penalty corners. Collins made a pair of saves in the Panther goal, while Katie Savage had eight stops for Amherst.
On Sunday the visiting Panthers defeated then No. 16 Hamilton, 4-0, dealing the Continentals their first loss.
Middlebury scored three times in the first half, with goals from Jennings on a solo rush, Meg Fearey on a long rebound, and Freeman, who tipped in a Johns shot. Johns made it 4-0 early in the second half by converting an Erin Nicholas cross from the right side.
Collins recorded four saves, while Julia Booth posted seven stops for Hamilton.