MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – The Connecticut College women's basketball team used a strong second half to post a 57-48 victory over Middlebury College on Friday night in a NESCAC showdown at Pepin Gymnasium.

The Camels earned their first league win of the season, as well as their first win over the Panthers since 2020. Sofia Tavarez (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) led the charge with 15 points on 6-for-11 shooting while Mia Xerras (Charlotte, N.C.) and Valeria Santiago Dedos (Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico) added 12 points apiece.

Conn trailed by as many as nine in the opening half as Calie Messina had the hot hand for Middlebury early. Dedos and Addi Hunter (Saint George, Vt.) each buried threes in the final 1:08 of the stanza as the Camels clawed back to within 29-24 by intermission.

The Panthers bumped the margin back to nine in the opening minutes of the third quarter. Conn countered with an 18-8 run over the final 6:25 of the period, a stretch that included eight points from Tavarez and threes by Xerras and Dedos. A driving layup by Tavarez gave the Camels the lead for good with 3:30 to go in the third, and the visitors clung to a 45-44 advantage heading into the fourth.

Dedos kicked off the final quarter with her fourth triple of the night to ignite an 8-0 spurt, putting Conn on top 53-44 with 5:38 to go. The Camels protected the lead with incredible defense—limiting the Panthers to just 1-for-19 shooting in the final period—and Xerras drilled four free throws down the stretch to sew up the win.

The Camels owned a 46-41 edge on the glass, led by a season-high 10 rebounds from Catie Hurley (Walpole, Mass.). Conn's bench also outscored Middlebury's to the tune of 36-14.

Sarah Chenette paced Middlebury (10-6 overall, 1-2 NESCAC) with 14 points.

Conn (10-6 overall, 1-2 NESCAC) will next play at Williams College on Saturday, January 17 at 3:00 p.m.