MIDDLEBURY, Vt.– The Connecticut College women's ice hockey team returned to NESCAC play for the first time in 2026, falling to #4 Middlebury 2-1 on Friday night from Kenyon Arena.

It was a slow start as both teams returned to conference action for the first time in the new year. Conn had the better start as Sydney Frank (Stillwater, N.Y.), Elizabeth Bonner (Westfield, N.J.) and Bridget McGann (West Hartford, Conn.) were all denied by Sophia Will. Middlebury grew into the period and had a good opportunity to open the scoring, peppering five shots on goal in the span of 10 seconds, but Devon Galizio (Wayland, Mass.) was up to the task as the game remained scoreless after one.

The teams traded chances through the opening 10 minutes of the middle frame, but both Galizio and Will held serve in their respective nets. The game looked like it was going to remain scoreless heading to the third, but the Camels opened the scoring at 16:33. Caitlyn O'Donnell (Revere, Mass.) and Ashley Engle (Basking Ridge, N.J.) cycled the puck in the corner, before Engle fired a pass to Bonner at the point; Bonner made a nifty move around a defender at the blueline before firing past Will to put Conn in front 1-0 heading to the third.

The Camels had a good chance to extend the lead early in the third period, as Casey Chesner (Great Falls, Va.) got a partial breakaway, but was ultimately turned aside by Will. The Panthers tied the game at 4:04 as Liv Fernandez took a shot that found its way through bodies, making it 1-1. With just over seven minutes remaining, Conn had an opportunity to take the lead after earning a power play, however off the ensuing face-off Alison Giebler got a short-handed breakaway and converted to make it 2-1. The Camels pushed over the final minutes looking to even the score but were unable to beat Will, falling 2-1.

Middlebury outshot Conn 28-19, while holding a 27-23 edge on face-off wins.

Galizio got the start in goal finishing with 26 saves. Bonner tallied the lone goal for Conn, as Engle and O'Donnell each added an assist. The Camels blocked 17 shots as a team, led by Bonner who blocked a team-high five, as Conn went 2-2 on the penalty kill and 0-3 on the power play.

Will got the win in net, recording 18 saves. Fernandez and Giebler each tallied one goal, as Middlebury went 0-2 on the power play and 3-3 on the penalty kill.

Conn (5-3-2, 2-2-1 NESCAC) wraps up the weekend series with Middlebury tomorrow afternoon, with puck drop scheduled for 3:00 p.m. in Middlebury, Vt.