For Release: November 27, 2006

WOMEN’S HOCKEY WINS TWO

The Middlebury College women's hockey team picked up a pair of NESCAC road wins over the holiday weekend, defeating both Hamilton and Trinity.

Senior Shannon Sylvester (Randolph, N.J.) scored with 34 seconds left in the third period to lift Middlebury to a 4-3 win against host Hamilton College at Russell Sage Rink. Sophomore Annmarie Cellino (W. Seneca, N.Y.) and senior Alison Graddock (Stowe, Vt.) paced the Panthers with one goal and one assist apiece. Sophomore Molly Vitt (Kenilworth, Ill.) added a solo goal.

Sylvester scored the game-winner from sophomore Erika Nakamura (Boston, Mass.). Nakamura passed the puck from behind the Continentals' goal to Sylvester at the right side of the net. Sylvester skated alone in front and fired a high shot past Hamilton's Meg Shine (31 saves).

After a scoreless first period, Leonard gave the Continentals a 1-0 lead just 1:37 into the second. Vitt evened the score with a power play goal for Middlebury at the 6:28 mark and Cellino gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead 4:20 later.

Hamilton grabbed a 3-2 advantage with two power play goals 1:03 apart in the third period. Courtney DeMaria notched the first goal during a 5-on-3 situation at the 6:52 mark. Allen put the Continentals in front by knocking in a shot that had been blocked in front of the net. Middlebury came roaring back 1:38 later when Graddock tied the score on an assist from junior Karen Levin (Morton Grove, Ill). First-year goaltender Lani Wright (Reading, Mass.) made 18 saves in goal to earn the win.

The Panthers improved to 3-1 on the season as they earned a 4-0 NESCAC shutout at Trinity. Levin scored two goals in the victory, with solo tallies from first-year player Ashley Bairos (Van Nuys, Calif.) and Nakamura. Junior Abby Smith (Norwell, Mass.) made 13 saves in goal to earn the shutout. The Panthers outshot the Bantams 31-13 on the afternoon.
• Women’s hockey record: 3-1
• Up next: 12/1 vs. Conn. College – 7:00, 12/2 vs. Amherst – 3:00

MEN’S HOCKEY GOES 1-1 AT PRIMELINK

The Panther men’s hockey team picked up a win and a loss over the weekend at the PrimeLink Great Northern Shootout hosted by Norwich.

Middlebury suffered its first loss of the season to Plattsburgh on the first day of the tourney. Plattsburgh struck first when Pier-Luc Belanger teamed up with Shane Remenda for the only goal of the first period at 12:05. Middlebury evened the score when first-year player John Sullivan (Delmar, N.Y.) took a drop pass from junior Mickey Gilchrist (Ottawa, Ont.) and found the back of net at 1:20 in the second period.

The Cardinals went ahead 2-1 with 38 seconds remaining in the period when Kevin Galan scored the first of back-to-back goals. Plattsburgh added two third period goals before Middlebury senior Richie Fuld (Greenwich, Conn.) cut the lead to 4-2 when he converted a pass from junior Robert MacIntyre (Calgary, Alberta). Middlebury had a slight edge in shots-on-goal at 23-19, with junior Ross Cherry (Basking Ridge, N.J.) making 15 stops.

Sophomore Kyle Koziara (W. Springfield, Mass.) scored a hat trick as the Panthers won the consolation game of the PrimeLink Great Northern Shoot Out with a 7-1 final over Potsdam. Junior Tom Maldonado (Bronx, N.Y.) tallied one goal and an assist, while sophomore Jamie McKenna (Lake Placid, N.Y.) totaled three assists.

Koziara commenced the scoring seven and a half minutes into the first period, followed by a tally from Maldonado that made it a two-goal lead with just less than seven minutes to play in the first period.

Koziara opened the second period scoring eight and a half minutes in with a power-play goal, boosting the lead to 3-0. Two minutes later, senior Darwin Hunt (Winnetka, Ill.) found the back of the net, before Koziara capped his scoring day with 3:45 remaining as McKenna earned his third assist for a 5-0 lead to close out the second period.

The third period featured three goals, all of which were scored on power plays. Gilchrist scored the first midway through the period before Potsdam got on the board nearly 14 minutes into the period, making the score 6-1. Middlebury capped the scoring with less than a minute remaining as senior John Sales (Downington, Pa.) scored his first goal of the season.

Middlebury outshot Potsdam, 57-14, with sophomore Doug Raeder (Needham, Mass.) making 13 saves on the day.
• Men’s hockey record: 3-1
• Up next: 12/1 @ S. Maine, 12/2 @ Salem State

MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS AT ST. LAWRENCE

The Middlebury College men’s basketball team ran into a St. Lawrence team that shot .547 from the field on its way to an 80-64 win over Middlebury.

An evenly played first half saw the Panthers shoot well and take a 34-30 lead into the intermission. The Panthers led 57-51 with 9:51 remaining in the second half, before the Saints went on a 17-0 run to take a 68-57 lead. Middlebury would cut the lead back to eight, but that's as close as they'd come.

Senior Evan Thompson (New York, N.Y.) led the Panthers with 14 points, while junior Mike Walsh (Needham, Mass.) added eight.
• Men’s basketball record: 1-2
• Up next: 11/28 @ Castleton – 7:30, 11/30 vs. Rensselaer – 7:30, 12/2 @ Union - 4:00

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL DROPS HOME-OPENER

Norwich shot 50 percent from the floor, including 8-15 from behind the arc on its way to an 80-64 win over Middlebury in the Panthers’ home-opener.

Middlebury led 12-11 in the first half before a pair of threes by Kayleigh Shappy and Leslie Mencia gave the Cadets a 17-12 advantage. Norwich kept up the pressure and took a 40-27 lead into the halftime break.

The Panthers would come within nine early in the second half, but could not contend Norwich’s hot shooting. The Cadets led by 14 at the 11:20 mark before going on a 12-1 run to take a commanding 68-43 lead with 6:56 remaining.

Junior Katie Fisher (Oakland, Calif.) paced Middlebury with 13 points, junior Jennifer Kelleher (Belle Harbor, N.Y.) added 12, while sophomore Emily Johnson (Lower Gwynedd, Pa.) and sophomore Ashley Barron (Brockton, Mass.) each netted 11.
• Women’s basketball record: 2-1
• Up next: 11/28 @ Castleton – 5:30, 12/1 vs. Skidmore – 7:00, 12/2 @ Union - 2:00

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