WATERVILLE, Maine — The Middlebury College field hockey team won two recent games to improve to 9-0, 5-0 in NESCAC play. The defending NCAA Division III champions have won 25 straight games.
The Panthers remain No. 1 in the NCAA rankings, but will face a challenge at home this weekend: No. 3 Tufts, which is 8-0 overall and at 5-0 in league play the only other unbeaten team in NESCAC, will visit Middlebury at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
On this past Saturday the Panthers scored four times in the second half in a 4-1 win at NESCAC rival Colby (4-4, 1-4 NESCAC).
Colby scored on its only shot on goal of the first half, when Merel van Gijzen converted on an early penalty corner. Middlebury pressed for the equalizer, but Mule keeper Riley Whitmyer (11 saves) held the fort.  
But 1:32 into the second half Whitmyer could not stop Marissa Baker, who knocked in a pass from Danielle Brown. At 13:28 Julia Richards made it 2-1 by tapping the ball home at the right post.
About a minute later Middlebury keeper Megan Collins stopped Myri Skodock’s turnaround shot from point-blank range.
Middlebury added late goals from Erin Nicholas and Brown. 
On the previous Wednesday the Panthers also surrendered a first-half goal on a penalty corner, but erupted in the second half with five goals in a 5-1 win at Skidmore.
Thoroughbred Mariah Redler gave Skidmore the lead on her team’s only shot on goal, and Skidmore goalie Elizabeth Coughlin made a number of her 13 saves in the first half.
At 1:23 of the second half Molly Freeman cashed in a pass from Erin Nicholas. Just 1:24 later Emma Johns knocked in an assist from Isabel Chandler. Brown, Grace Jennings and Erin Hogan added goals for Middlebury. Middlebury earned advantages of 25-1 in shots and 16-1 in penalty corners.