Courtesy Amherst Sports Information

Box Score

AMHERST, Mass. - Middlebury sophomore forward Anna McNally (St. Paul, Minn.) tallied the game-winning goal at 8:34 of overtime to give the Panthers a 4-3 win against host Amherst in the final of the 2009 NESCAC Women's Ice Hockey Championship on Sunday afternoon at Orr Rink. It is the fifth NESCAC crown for Middlebury and its first since 2006.

McNally carried the puck along the bench-side boards with one defender at her side and two others nipping at her heels, but she somehow managed to break free and slide the puck toward Amherst goaltender Caroline Hu (Cerritos, Calif.) as she fell to the ice. The puck trickled across the goal line and the Middlebury bench cleared, as the Panthers pulled off the 4-3 victory in dramatic fashion.

Middlebury improves to 19-3-4 and earns an automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA Tournament, while Amherst falls to 21-5-0 and will hope to receive an at-large bid. The Panthers increased their winning streak to six games are now 14-4 in NESCAC Championship games, marking the best winning percentage in the conference.

The loss snapped four significant streaks for Amherst, including its 50-game unbeaten streak against NESCAC opponents (43-0-7), six-game unbeaten streak against Middlebury (3-0-3) and eight-game overall winning streak. The Jeffs were also attempting to become the first team to win three consecutive NESCAC titles.

The Panthers scored the game’s first goal on a 5-on-3 power-play opportunity. Sophomore Nora Bergman (Concord, Mass.) took a shot from the point and had it blocked by Hu. First-year Maggie Melberg (Woody Creek, Colo.) was there to clean up the rebound, however, as she took advantage of a wide-open net and gave her squada 1-0 lead.

Still on the power-play, Middlebury increased its lead to 2-0 just 57 seconds later when senior captain Randi Dumont (Greene, Maine) lofted a shot from the point. Hu appeared to be screened on the play as the puck made its way to the back of the net, and the visitors suddenly had a two-goal lead with 5:29 to play in the first.

Amherst stormed right back and needed only 70 seconds to cut its deficit in half. After a scramble in front of the Middlebury net, junior tri-captain Kirsten Dier (Appleton, Wis.) was finally able to fend off the crowd of players and poke a shot past sophomore Alexi Bloom (Highland Park, Ill.), marking the game’s third goal in a span of 2:07.

The Jeffs went on another power play with 1:51 to play before the first intermission but could not find the equalizer, as they headed into the locker room trailing 2-1 with nine seconds remaining on their 5-on-4. Amherst put 20 shots on net in the period but could beat Bloom only once, while Middlebury put only four shots on target.

It took Middlebury only 3:14 into the second to bump its lead to 3-1, as the visitors scored their third power-play goal of the game. The Panthers entered the weekend boasting the NESCAC’s best power play conversion rate (21 percent) and put it on display for the fans at Orr Rink. Senior Annmarie Cellino (West Seneca, N.Y.) was credited with the goal, giving her two on the weekend and 11 on the season.

The Jeffs were given another brief 5-on-3 opportunity eight minutes into the second period. The Panthers killed the first penalty but could not fight off the second, as sophomore Megan Curry (Shorewood, Minn.) put home a rebound to make it a 3-2 game at the 7:28 mark. Curry’s goal was her second of the weekend, both of which came in power-play fashion.

The visitors headed into the second intermission with a 3-2 advantage. Bloom racked up 40 saves in the first two periods, as the Jeffs held a convincing 42-13 edge in shots on goal.

Amherst junior Michelle McGann (New Berlin, Wis.) tied things up with her first goal of the weekend. The game stood at 3-3 with 11:10 to play in regulation. McGann's tally was the lone goal of the third period, as the teams headed to the locker room still deadlocked at three goals apiece.

McNally played the role of hero for Middlebury, scoring the game-winner and sending the Panther bench into bedlam. Bloom finished with 52 saves on the day, while Hu stopped 20 shots.

Amherst tied a NESCAC record for goals scored in a tournament (16), while sophomore Courtney Hanlon (Fullerton, CA) tied the record for individual points in a tournament (6).

2009 NESCAC WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP
Quarterfinals - Saturday, Feb. 28 at Higher Seeds
at No. 1 Amherst 7, No. 8 Hamilton 1
at No. 2 Middlebury 3, No. 7 Williams 1
No. 6 Connecticut College 2, at No. 3 Trinity 1
at No. 4 Colby 2, No. 5 Bowdoin 1

Semifinals - Saturday, March 7 at Highest Remaining Seed
at No. 1 Amherst 6, No. 6 Connecticut College 1
No. 2 Middlebury 4, vs. No. 4 Colby 2

Championship - Sunday, March 8
No. 2 Middlebury 4, at No. 1 Amherst 3 - OT