MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - Third-ranked Middlebury scored a pair of quick goals in the first half en route to a 3-2 NESCAC victory over top-ranked Bowdoin Saturday on Kohn Field.

The victory kept the Panthers (4-0, 3-0) undefeated on the season, while the Polar Bears fall to 5-1, 4-1 in league play.

Game Highlights

• The Polar Bears maintained possession for the early stages of the game, but the hosts took the early lead scoring on their initial shot
• Annie Leonard gave Middlebury a 1-0 advantage 9:49 into the game when she ran up the left side of the field, passed to Emma Johns, who sent a return pass to Leonard for the goal
• The Panthers doubled the advantage 2:20 later, cashing in on a penalty corner. After an insert by Audrey Quirk, Leonard laced a shot from the top of the arc, which was tipped in by Susanna Baker
• Bowdoin cut the deficit in half with 7:02 left in the opening frame when Kimmy Ganong tapped in a hard shot from Elizabeth Bennewitz on a penalty corner
• In the second half, Middlebury added an insurance goal with 11:03 on the clock when Leonard netted her second of the game
• Bowdoin made it a one-goal game with 7:15 left in regulation when Kara Finnerty dribbled along the end line from the right wing and centered a pass to Ganong, who knocked in her second tally of the game and eighth of the year
• The Polar Bears continued to push for the equalizer, but Julianna Fiore's shot with six seconds remaining just missed the left post
• Middlebury goalie Emily Miller made five saves for her fourth win of the season, while Clara Belitz did not register a save in the defeat
• The Polar Bears held advantages in both shots (13-7) and penalty corners (7-4)

Up Next

• Bowdoin will return to action on Wednesday evening with a home match against Wellesley at 6:30 p.m. on Ryan Field