Mike Orazzi / Clarus Multimedia Group

Box Score

Connecticut Col. CON 12-12-1

Middlebury MID 16-6-3

Connecticut Col. CON

12-12-1

Final

Feb. 25, 2023

Middlebury MID

16-6-3

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	F
Connecticut Col. CON	0	0	0	0
Middlebury MID	2	1	1	4

Game Recap: Women's Ice Hockey | 2/25/2023 5:27:00 PM

Women's Ice Hockey Falls To Middlebury In NESCAC Quarterfinals

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – The Connecticut College women's ice hockey team fell to Middlebury 4-0 in the quarterfinals of the NESCAC tournament on Saturday afternoon at Chip Kenyon Arena.

Four different Panthers players scored, and goaltender Sophia Merageas held the Camels off the scoreboard to advance to the conference semifinals for the 20th time in 21 years.

Middlebury scored a pair of goals in the first period and never looked back. First, Cece Ziegler attempted a slap shot from the point. The puck deflected off the skate of a Camels defender, changing the trajectory of the shot just enough to get by goaltender Abby Wieczorek (Winnetka, Ill.). With just over one minute remaining in the opening frame, the Panthers increased their lead to 2-0 when Maddie Bayard scored off a rebounded shot from Claudia Vira.

The hosts held the Camels to only three shots in the first period and five in the second. At the 6:52 mark of the middle stanza, Middlebury scored its third goal of the game. Molly MacQueen was credited with the score on a wrist shot that beat a screened Wieczorek.

Middlebury added the final goal in the third period off the stick of Avery McInerny. The Camels did everything they could to get back in the game during the final 20 minutes. The visitors peppered Merageas with 14 shots, but the Panther goaltender stopped them all to preserve the four-goal victory and the shutout.

Wieczorek made 25 saves, while Merageas finished with 22 stops.

Senior Melanie Conca (Nutley, N.J.) led the Camels with five shots on goal. Kylie McCarthy (Dedham, Mass.) and Kiley Smith (Marion, Mass.) each led the team with three blocked shots.

With the victory, Middlebury (16-6-3 overall, 10-4-2 NESCAC) advances to the NESCAC Semifinals. They will take on either Amherst or Hamilton with a shot to move on to its eighth straight conference finals.

Conn ended its season with an overall record of 12-12-1. Conca was the team's top goal scorer with 14. She ends her outstanding collegiate career tied for the ninth-highest goal total in program history.

Connecticut College graduates six seniors and returns over 20 players with varsity experience.

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