KEENE, N.H. — The Middlebury College women’s basketball team won a pair of recent games to move to 10-0, a record that breaks the mark set by the 2001-2002 team for the best start in program history.
This coming weekend the Panthers will be on the road at Connecticut and Wesleyan as their NESCAC schedule begins.
The Panthers tied the record by defeating visiting Keene State on Saturday, 55-40. Middlebury went on a 20-1 run spanning 13:49 of the first and second quarters to take charge vs. the 2-9 Owls.
The Panthers closed the first quarter on a 10-1 run capped with an Emily Wander three-pointer to take a 10-6 lead. Middlebury then got six points from Betsy Knox in a 10-0 run that opened the second quarter and pushed the score to 20-6.
The Owls trailed by 24-15 at the break and moved to within 27-19 at 4:51 of the third period. The Panthers then snapped out of an offensive drought with a decisive 14-3 run in which Maya Davis scored six points. The closest the Owls came the rest of the way was the 14 points.
Davis led the Panthers with 18 points to go along with eight rebounds, while Knox recorded 16 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Wander scored six points, while Lily Kuntz pulled down eight boards. Middlebury, the NCAA Division III leader in rebounding margin, held a 46-30 edge on the boards. Tamra Gonyea led paced the Owls with 16 points.
On Monday the Panthers established the new record by defeating host Mt. St. Mary (in Newburgh, N.Y.), 64-44. Mt. St. Mary fell to 8-3 and saw a seven-game winning streak snapped.
The Panthers took a 13-4 lead as Kira Waldman and Catherine Harrison combined for nine early points, and a three late in the first quarter gave Middlebury a 21-9 lead after one. An Alex Huffman three in the second quarter pushed the lead to 20 at 32-12, and the Panthers led at the break, 37-21.
Middlebury stretched the advantage to 49-28 before coasting home. Middlebury outrebounded the Knights, 53-25; outscored them in the paint, 24-14; and racked up 21 second-chance points.
Davis led Middlebury with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Harrison scored a dozen with eight rebounds, while Waldman netted 10 points. Colleen Caveney scored seven and added a career-high eight assists. Alyna Bahorozian chipped in with nine points off the bench, and Knox added seven.
Annie Keenan and Morina Bojka each scored 11 for Mt. St. Mary.