For Release: April 9, 2007

WOMEN’S TENNIS WINS TOPS WILLIAMS AND AMHERST

The Middlebury College women’s tennis team had an impressive week as the ninth-ranked Panthers picked up wins over #5 Williams and #4 Amherst. The week began with a 5-4 win at home over Williams. Senior Amy Roche (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) and junior Claire Smyser (Houston, Texas) along with sophomore Clare Burke (Summit, N.J.) and senior Emily Holick (Sudbury, Mass.) gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead after doubles play.

The Panthers came out strong in singles play, with Roche earning a 6-3, 6-1 win and Smyser picking up a 6-3, 6-3 win. Leading 4-1, sophomore Elizabeth Emery (McLean, Va.) clinched the victory with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 victory. The Panthers lost the final three singles matches, two of them in super breakers.

Middlebury earned its second win in a week over a top five opponent as the Panthers picked up a 5-4 win at #4 Amherst. Holick and Clare Burke were the lone victors in doubles play, picking up an 8-6 win.

The Panthers then trailed 4-1 after dropping the #2 and #3 singles matches. Emery won 6-2, 6-4 at #4, Roche was a 6-4, 6-2 winner at #1, before Burke won 6-1, 7-6 at #6 to tie the match at four.

Holick clinched the match with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 win in a three and a half hour marathon in the #5 singles spot.
• Women’s tennis record: 9-2
• Up next: 4/14 @ Bowdoin, 4/15 @ Bates

WOMEN’S LACROSSE BEATS A PAIR OF TOP 10 TEAMS

The Panther women’s lacrosse team had a big week as they picked up wins over a pair of top 10 teams. Middlebury won its 10^th straight meeting with Williams as the #4 Panthers picked up a 15-12 win over the #8 Ephs on Wednesday.

Middlebury came out firing with four goals in the game’s first 4:56. Four different players scored during the spurt, before Elizabeth Pierce put Williams on the board at the 17:12 mark. Middlebury answered with three more tallies to take a 7-1 lead with 12:58 remaining. The Ephs came roaring back as they scored five of the next seven goals to cut the lead to 9-6 at the intermission.

Middlebury opened the second half by scoring three of the first four goals, a pair by senior Kim Walker (Ridgewood, N.J.), to take a 12-7 lead with 17:29 remaining. Williams would not go away as they cut the lead to 12-9 on a goal from Britt Spackman at the 12:48 mark. That would be as close as the Ephs would come as the Panthers held a lead of three of more goals for the remainder of the contest.

Walker, junior Mimi Schatz (Baltimore, Md.) and senior Claire Edelen (Sparks, Md.) led Middlebury with three goals apiece, while junior Reid Berrien (Westport, Conn.) added a pair. Sophomore Blair Bowie (Washington, D.C.) made nine saves in goal to earn the win, while Abby Taylor made 14 stops for Williams.

In a game that pitted two nationally ranked teams, visiting Middlebury beat Amherst College 11-3 on Saturday. The win marks the second straight year in which the Panthers have defeated Amherst by an 11-3 margin.

The fourth-ranked Panthers jumped out of the gate scoring two quick goals in just over six minutes of play in the first half. The sixth-ranked Jeffs responded with their first tally of the game on a free position score.

From the 2-1 score on, the Panthers would take over, scoring five unanswered goals to close out the first frame, and another pair to open the second half, exploding to a 9-1 lead. Pushing the Panther attack was first-year player Dana Heritage (Cheshire, Conn.), who racked up four goals and an assist on the day. Juniors Amanda Smith (Greenwich, Conn.) and Schatz and Walker each added two goals in the win. Bowie made 11 saves in goal to earn the victory.
• Women’s lacrosse record: 5-1
• Up next: 4/12 @ Skidmore, 4/14 vs. Trinity – 11:00

BASEBALL TOPS ST. MIKES, TAKE TWO OF THREE FROM WESLEYAN

The Middlebury College baseball team played its first game in Vermont as the Panthers picked up an 8-2 win over Saint Michael’s at Doc Jacobs Sports Complex on Tuesday afternoon. The Panthers scored four runs in the first inning and the Purple Knights never recovered as they recorded only three hits on the afternoon.

For Middlebury, sophomore Mark Shimrock (Lansdale, Pa.) went 1-for-4 with three runs batted in and a run scored, while Nick Lefeber collected two hits and two runs scored. Sophomore Rob Palladino (Belmont, Mass.) threw the first four innings, allowing only one hit and two unearned runs. Sophomore Matt Joseph (Alexandria, Va.) tossed three innings of one-hit relief to earn the win.

Middlebury got on the board in the top of the first with a bases loaded triple by Shimrock, which plated three runs. Shimrock then scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-0 after the first inning.

The Panthers added two runs in the second as sophomore David Miranowski (St. Paul, Minn.) walked, advanced to second on a hit by pitch and scored on a throwing error by the shortstop. Junior Gabe Broughton (Barrington, Ill.) scored the second run of the inning as he reached on the throwing error by the shortstop, got to third on another throwing error and scored on a base hit by senior Noah Walker (Oakland, Calif.).

Middlebury added two more in the fourth, while Saint Michael’s got its first runs of the game in the bottom of the inning. The Purple Knights loaded the bases, thanks to three-straight errors by the Panthers, and plated two runs on ground outs by Fennessey and Jeff McLaughlin. The Panthers out-hit Saint Michael’s five to three, while the Purple Knights made six errors to Middlebury’s four.

The Middlebury baseball team dropped game one of a three-game set at Wesleyan by a score of 5-1 in 10 innings. The Cardinals broke-up the 1-1 tie with four runs in the top of the 10th to earn the victory. Middlebury’s junior hurler Justin Wright (W. Simsbury, Mass.) turned in an amazing performance, owning a perfect game through 6 1/3 innings of work. A walk, balk and Wesleyan's first hit of the game gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

The Panthers tied the game in the eighth inning, with help from a pair of Wesleyan errors. Senior Sam Timberg (Bethesda, Md.) reached second on an error, as did first-year player Alex Blair (Salem, Mass.), scoring Timberg. Wesleyan's rally began with a walk and back-to-back doubles, making it a 3-1 game. A triple then gave the Cards a 4-1 advantage, while they added a fourth run for a 5-1 lead. The Panthers went quietly in the bottom of the inning.

Wright went 9 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and four earned runs, while striking out four. Joseph entered the game in the 10th, allowing a run on two hits. Shimrock had a double for Middlebury, while Lanahan had a single.

Just one day after dropping game one of the series in extra innings, Middlebury bounced back with a pair of convincing victories over Wesleyan. The Panthers won game one 17-1, before earning a 4-0 shutout in the second contest.

Junior Jack Britton (Carmel, Calif.) threw five innings of one-hit ball, striking out eight to earn the win in the 17-1 contest. Junior Tom Sullivan (Saugus, Mass.) allowed no earned runs in the final two innings of play. Middlebury took advantage of four Wesleyan errors and 10 walks, earning 7 of its 17 runs scored. The Panthers struck for three in the third, five in the fourth and nine in the fifth inning.

First-year player Erich Enns (Lansdale, Pa.) went 2-4 in the game with a pair of doubles and three driven in. Shimrock was 2-4 with two runs scored and three RBI on the afternoon.

In game two, Palladino and junior Christian Hansen (Laramie, Wyo.) combined on a six-hit shutout as no Wesleyan runner got past second base. The Panthers scored solo runs in the first and third and added a pair in the fifth to earn the 4-0 shutout win.

Walker went 3-4 with two runs scored, junior Nick Lefeber (Branford, Conn.) had two hits as did Lanahan.
• Baseball record: 7-8
• Up next: 4/11 vs. Plymouth – 3:30, 4/15 @ Bates

MEN’S TENNIS WINS THREE MORE

The Panther men's tennis team had a perfect 3-0 week with three 9-0 victories. The Panthers have now won six straight matches and are ranked third in the latest national poll.

The week was a long one for Middlebury as they defeated Hamilton 9-0 on Friday before returning home late for a pair of Saturday contests. Middlebury showed no signs of weariness as they blanked Colby-Sawyer and Villanova 9-0 on Saturday afternoon.

Seven different singles players went 2-0 on the week, while first-year players Andrew Lee (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Eliot Jia (Mt. Desert, Maine) did the same in doubles play. Senior Alex Scott (Mt. Kisco, N.Y.), junior Filip Marinkovic (Toronto, Ont.), sophomore Conrad Olson (Waterloo, Belgium) and first-year players Lee, Jia, Andrew Thomson (W. Bloomfield, Mich.) and Peter Odell (Scarsdale, N.Y.) all enjoyed a 2-0 week.
• Men’s tennis record: 10-1
• Up next: 4/11 vs. Williams – 4:00, 4/14 @ Bowdoin, 4/15 @ Bates

MEN’S LACROSSE TOPS AMHERST

Ten different players scored goals for Middlebury as they beat visiting Amherst for the 20th straight time, winning 19-9 at Kohn Field on Saturday. The Panthers’ 19 goals was the highest offensive output since 2004 when they scored 21 against Union College.

Amherst won the opening face-off and quickly got on the board as Derek Cherney scored with a side-arm shot at the 14:15 mark in the first quarter. The Panthers scored the next six goals of the game, book-ended by sophomore Mike Stone’s (Boston, Mass.) two goals. Amherst goalie Matt Pietroforte let in all six scores and was relieved by Andrew Harrison early in the second quarter.

The Lord Jeffs ended an 18:29 scoring drought as T.J. Jackson scored the first of his two consecutive goals at the 10:56 mark in the second quarter. His second goal cut the Panther lead to 6-3 with 8:47 left in the quarter. Middlebury tacked on two more goals, building an 8-3 lead going into the half.

In the third quarter, the Panthers outscored Amherst 9-4, including three goals by sophomore Skyler Hopkins (Easton, Md.), to take a commanding 17-7 advantage entering the fourth quarter. Both teams added a pair of goals in the fourth quarter, ending the scoring at 19-9.

Hopkins led all scorers with four goals and an assist, while four other Panthers added a pair of goals. Senior Peter Mellen (Cherry Hill, N.J.) chipped in with a game-high four assists for Middlebury to go with one goal. Senior goalkeeper Alex Palmisano (Southport, Conn.) played most of the game in net for the Panthers stopping 11 shots and allowing nine goals.
• Men’s lacrosse record: 5-2
• Up next: 4/10 vs. Rensselaer – 4:30, 4/14 @ Trinity

SOFTBALL OPENS HOME SEASON

The Panther softball team won both games against visiting Skidmore by scores of 9-3 and 8-0, the latter was shortened to five innings due to score differential. The Panthers improved their record to 9-5 with the twin-bill victories, while the Thoroughbreds fall to 5-11 on the season.

In the first game, the Panthers fell behind 3-2 until a bases-loaded passed-ball allowed junior Allison Bard (Jenkintown, Pa.) to score the tying run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Middlebury tacked on two more in the frame, building a 5-3 lead. In the sixth, the Panthers added four insurance runs for a commanding 9-3 advantage. In the top of the seventh inning, Skidmore had a runner on second with no outs, but could not muster any runs, and fell 9-3. Bard led the Panther offense going 3-for-4, including a triple, while junior Brittany Burke (Medfield, Mass.) went 2-for-4 with a triple and three RBI. Burke earned the victory, improving to 6-1 on the season.

In the second game, the Panthers expanded a first inning 1-0 lead scoring four runs in the second. Middlebury belted out five hits in the inning including doubles by seniors Susan Miranowski (St. Paul, Minn.) and Jennifer Williams (Scarborough, Maine). The Panthers scored again in the third, building a 6-0 advantage, as Miranowski doubled again and later scored on a throwing error. The game ended in the fifth when a bases-loaded shot by Middlebury rookie Kristin Maletsky (Kinnelon, N.J.) was mishandled in the infield and two runners scored. The eight-run Panther lead ended the game by NCAA rules of play. Miranowski went 2-for-3 with the two doubles, while five other Panthers collected hits in the victory. Williams raised her pitching record to 3-4 with the win as she held Skidmore to just three hits in five innings of work.
• Softball record: 9-5
• Up next: 4/10 @ Castleton, 4/13 vs. Williams – 5:00, 4/14 vs. Williams – 12:00 (2)

TRACK & FIELD IN ACTION AT SPRINGFIELD

The Middlebury College track and field teams were in action in Massachusetts over the weekend, competing at Springfield College. Four Middlebury women won events on the day, including senior Beth Butler (Bronxville, N.Y.), who captured the 800 with a time of 2:18.09. Sophomore Jennifer Katz (Winchester, Mass.) won the 200 in 26.35, while placing second in the 100 with a time of 12.79 seconds. Senior Mary Frederickson (Florham Park, N.J.) was a winner in the javelin (125’5”), while senior Andrea Giddings (S. Portland, Maine) was a victor in the steeplechase with a time of 11:37.04.

Sophomore Jennifer Brenes (Lawrence, Mass.) placed second in the 100 hurdles (15.42), while coming in third in the 100 (12.94). Other second place finishers included sophomore Kelley Coughlan (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) in the triple jump (34’2.75”) and senior Kara Plunkett (Topsfield, Mass.) in the 800 (2:23.50).

Junior Jennifer Currie (Milton, Vt.) finished third in the hammer (134’), first-year athlete Laura Dalton (Simsbury, Conn.) was third in the 400 hurdles (1:09.01), while senior Samantha Ritt (Mequon, Wis.) was third in the 1500 (4:28.16).

Junior Jimmy Butcher (Garden City, N.Y.) was the lone winner on the men’s side, capturing the 1500 with a time of 15:14.02. First-year jumper Robby Athan (Wayland, Mass.) finished second in the long jump (20’.25”), senior Will McDonough (Lancaster, N.H.) placed third in the steeplechase (9:44.35), while rookie Bruce Hallett (S. Londonderry, Vt.) was third in the 1500 (4:08.55).

Senior Bobby Marcoux (Campbell Hall, N.Y.) earned a fourth place finish in the discus (141’5”), sophomore Benjamin Fowler (Bethesda, Md.) was fifth in the 800 (2:03.01), while senior Pascal Losambe (S. Burlington, Vt.) was fifth in the hammer (326’10”) and the shot put (42’8.25”).
• Track teams compete at Springfield
• Up next: 4/14 @ Middlebury Invitational

MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE SPORTS ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB: www.gomidd.com