LEWISTON, Maine — The Middlebury College ski team finished third at the 2019 EISA Championships hosted by Bates this past weekend. Dartmouth won with 973 points, followed by Vermont (965) and the Panthers (758). Middlebury will return to action from March 6 to 9 at the NCAA championship hosted by Vermont.
On Saturday the Panther men were third in the slalom at Sunday River. Tim Gavett paced the Panthers by completing his two runs in 1:52.98 to place sixth, and Justin Alkier was ninth in 1:53.46. 
Lucia Bailey led the women in the slalom by taking 10th in 1:56.14, and Caroline Bartlett was 12th in 1:56.47.
The men’s Nordic team took second on Saturday with three in the 20-kilometer classic race. Sam Wood led the pack at Black Mountain, placing fifth overall in 53:08. Lewis Nottonson was eighth in 53:26, and Cornwall’s Samuel Hodges was ninth in 53:26.
Leading the women to a third-place finish was Annika Landis, who was eighth in 45:55. Avery Ellis placed 11th in 46:24.
On Friday the men’s Nordic team finished second in the 10K freestyle. Wood took third 24:04, Nottonson was fourth in 24:14, and Peter Wolter finished eighth in 24:32.
Landis led the Panthers in the women’s 5K freestyle by taking eighth in 13:47, and Alexandra Lawson came in 14th place in 14:05. 
On the slopes in the giant slalom, Erik Arvidsson turned in a fourth-place effort in 2:36.34. Justin Alkier was next for the Panthers in 13th place (2:38.02).
On the women’s side, Lucia Bailey finished seventh in 2:39.47, and Bartlett was 12th in 2:40.88.