MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - The top-seeded Middlebury College women's ice hockey team scored three times in the second period on its way to a 4-0 victory over Bowdoin in the NESCAC Semifinals on Saturday afternoon. The Polar Bears finish their season with a record of 15-9-2, the most wins for the squad since the 2006-07 campaign.

The first period saw Middlebury with two missed power play opportunities, ending the period with a 9-7 shots advantage. Bowdoin had its best chance to score at the 16:30 mark, but Kayte Holtz was robbed from the slot on a great glove save from Alexi Bloom.

The Panthers struck just 3:23 into the second period, with Heather Marrison netting her fourth goal of the season. Julia Ireland worked the puck behind the net, before finding Marrison in the high slot for a quick wrister. Middlebury scored again at the 9:27 mark, when Jennifer Krakower slid a quick pass to Maggie Melberg for her fifth of the year. The Panthers netted their third of the period with 5:41 remaining as Maggie Woodward took advantage of a turnover and scored with a wrister breaking to the goal. The lead grew to 4-0 at the 5:51 mark of the third period, with a power play tally from Lauren Greer.

Bowdoin could never get its offense on track as Middlebury goaltender Alexi Bloom made 17 stops to post her school-record 17th shutout of the season. Tara Connolly (34:19, 3 GA, 16 saves) and Kayla Lessard (25:41, 1 GA, 13 saves) split time in net for the Polar Bears.