The Middlebury College women’s lacrosse team is making its 16th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. After a first-round win over Keene State, the Panthers will head to Colby for an NCAA Regional this weekend. Middlebury will meet the meet the host school at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, while Hamilton battles Williams at 2:30 p.m. The winners advance to the NCAA Regional Final at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Middlebury earned its way into the tournament with an at-large bid after falling to Colby 17-12 in a NESCAC semifinal game. The loss was just the second NESCAC Tournament loss for the Panthers, who had won seven of the previous eight tourneys with a combined 14-0 record.
The Panthers are 36-10 in NCAA play since they first qualified for the tourney in ’94. Their .783 NCAA winning percentage is higher than all but one team (TCNJ) in the history of Division III lacrosse. Middlebury has also amassed an amazing 286-43 record since 1990.
Middlebury advanced to the NCAA title game in four of the last eight years, winning NCAA titles in ’97, ’97, ‘01, ’02 and ‘04. The Panthers advanced to the final four every year from ’94-’07 (14 years), missing the championship weekend for the first time a year ago. Head coach Missy Foote is in her 28th season at the helm of the program, sporting a career record of 340-82-1. Her .805 winning percentage is second all-time among her peers.
On Wednesday, Middlebury had little trouble with Keene State, handing the Owls an 18-2 first-round loss on Kohn Field. Sally Ryan and Chase Delano combined to score the game’s first nine goals as Middlebury never looked back.
Middlebury has been back on track as of late, after a rare mid-season skid. The Panthers opened the season 4-0, before dropping four of five games. Three of the four losses came to NCAA participants with a combined record of 44-6. Middlebury bounced back with four straight wins prior to the NESCAC Tournament loss at Colby.
The Panthers allow just 8.63 goals/game this season, second-best in the NESCAC. Sophomore Chase Delano and junior Dana Heritage lead the team in scoring this season, both with 57 points (3.8 ppg, T7 in NESCAC) on the year. Delano leads the team in goals with 45 (3.0/game-4th in NESCAC), while adding 12 assists for 57 points on the year. Heritage has 23 assists on 34 goals, while her 1.53 assists/contest place her fifth among her NESCAC peers. Sophomore Sally Ryan (41-14-55), rookie Elizabeth Garry (23-1-24) and senior Caroline Kirkendoll (11-9-20) round out the team’s leading scorers.
Kirkendoll leads the NESCAC with 2.66 draw controls/game, Taryn Petrelli owns 23 caused turnovers, while Taylor Brown has 19 (1.72/game-4th in NESCAC). In goal, Blair Bowie leads the NESCAC with an 8.66 GAA with a .502 save percentage and a record of 9-5.
2009 NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Tournament
Wednesday, May 6th
Middlebury 18, Keene St. 2
Williams 19, Endicott 9
Saturday, May 9th –
NCAA Regional - Colby College
Middlebury (10-5) vs. Colby (16-1) – 11:30 a.m.
Williams (13-6) vs. Hamilton (14-2) – 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 10th – NCAA Regional - Colby College
Regional Final – 1:00 p.m.