Middlebury College Field Hockey Blog

ON TO THE FINAL FOUR!

2011-11-14T10:14:00.003-05:00

After two HUGE wins this weekend against F&M (2-1) and Amherst (1-0), the team will head down to Vendetti Field in Dudley, Mass for the Final Four!!

NCAAs - Regionals!

2011-11-10T11:54:00.002-05:00

The Middlebury panthers (14-3) will face Franklin & Marshall (17-3) in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday, November 12th at 1:00 PM at Skidmore College. F&M advances to the second round of the tournament after a 3-0 win yesterday afternoon against SUNY Cortland.

GO PANTHERS! Click the link below to view the whole bracket.

http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/fieldhockey/d3

Pictures from October Break Pumpkin carving

2011-11-03T11:25:00.002-04:00

OCTOBER PICS!

click the link above to see pictures from this years annual october break pumpkin carving! Some great ones!

MIDDLEBURY 3 SKIDMORE 1

2011-09-28T09:22:00.003-04:00

Last night, the panthers played the first ever game under the lights on the newly renovated Peter Kohn Turf Field. The panthers prevailed as they handed Skidmore their first loss of the season. Middlebury goals came from three different forwards - Hannah Clarke, Charlotte Gardiner, and Lauren Greer. Becca Shaw finished the game with four saves in goal, protecting the cage through six of Skidmores powerful penalty corners. In the defensive end and midfield, efforts from Meredith Rowe, Liz Garry, Margaret Souther, Lucy Jackson, Cat Fowler, Ellie O'Brien, Alyssa DiMaio, Heather Karpas, and Katie Theiss made our fast paced transitions possible. Click on the video below to see the panther's third goal of the game!

For a full game write up click here

Before heading out to Tufts!

2011-09-12T09:46:00.002-04:00

PRESEASON POOL WORKOUT

2011-09-08T13:26:00.000-04:00

6 AM Pool workout with the team!

Save the Date! Middlebury Field Hockey Alumni Weekend!

2011-09-02T08:48:00.005-04:00

Middlebury Field Hockey Alumni Weekend

October 15th & 16th, 2011

Alumni Game (alumni vs. alumni) - Saturday, October 15th 12:00 PM

Middlebury vs. Trinity - Saturday, October 15th 2:00 PM

Tailgate to follow!!

2011-08-24T12:16:00.001-04:00

New Turf.... DONESKIS!!!!

KOHN FIELD RENOVATION - weeks 2 and 3

2011-07-01T16:59:00.005-04:00

Final phase of irrigation/sprinkler head installation with one of the sprinkler heads (1 of 6) shown in second photo...leveling of entire field has also begun.

Margs and Liz in Europe!

2011-06-27T21:56:00.003-04:00

Margaret Souther ('13) and Liz Garry ('12) just returned from a month in Europe.... and they made sure to take pics wearing their Midd FH tshirts! Above, see Liz looking up at the Duomo in Florence and Margs looking over the city of Rome. Wooooop!

Kohn Field Resurfacing

2011-06-21T09:43:00.013-04:00

The resurfacing of Kohn Field (home of the Middlebury Field Hockey and Women's Lacrosse teams) began Monday, June 13th, 2011. Approximately 25 rolls of the old turf (20% of field) will be used as a new indoor surface for the Town of Middlebury's municipal ice rink, during the non-ice season. Photo and text updates to this are weekly. Target completion date for Kohn Field renovation is August 15th, 2011.

See below for more pictures...

MIDD FH in the SNOW!

2010-12-03T11:11:00.002-05:00

All-American Honors!

2010-12-03T11:05:00.003-05:00

Congrats to sophmore LAUREN GREER for being named a 2010 second-team ALL AMERICAN!

CONGRATS!

2010-11-12T10:55:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Lauren Greer and Charlotte Gardiner for being selected to the 2010 NESCAC field hockey All-Confrence teams. Greer has been recognized as a First Team All-Confrence forward. Gardiner has been recognized as a Second Team All-Confrence midfielder. CONGRATS!!!!!

NCAA TOURNAMENT

2010-11-09T10:40:00.002-05:00

VS.

The panthers will host Cabrini College in a first round game of the NCAA tournament at 2:00. The winner of tomorrow's game will advance to the second round at Ursinus, where they will battle Tufts University.

To view the entire DIII NCAA Tournament bracket, click the link below:

http://www.ncaa.com/brackets/2010/ncaa_bracket_DIII_field_hockey.html

MIDD goals vs. WES!!

2010-10-28T10:09:00.001-04:00

Middlebury Goals vs. St. Lawrence 10-20-10

2010-10-21T14:07:00.001-04:00

PICTURES FROM TEAM DINNER AFTER THE TUFTS GAME!

2010-10-20T10:03:00.003-04:00

KEENE STATE

2010-10-14T13:40:00.000-04:00

MIDD: 2

KEENE: 0

Middlebury won its fourth straight game as the Panthers picked up a 2-0 non-league win at Keene State (10-4) at Owl Athletic Complex on Tuesday night. The 16^th ranked Panthers improve to 6-3 on the season.

After a scoreless first half the visiting Panthers netted two second half goals. Elinore O'Brien gave Middlebury a 1-0 lead at the 15:10 mark when she took a crossing pass from sophomore Charlotte Gardiner and beat KSC senior goalie Meghan Ledoux at the side of the net. Sophomore Lauren Greer scored the Panther's second goal in the closing seconds of the game. Gardiner also picked-up an assist on the play.

Keene State best opportunity to get on board came during one of their two penalty corner opportunities. Junior Kerry Howe's top of the circle drive went just wide of the post.

Both teams got strong play from their defense. With the scored tied, senior Madison Kahn made a defensive save on a scoring bid by junior Alyce Ferenc five minutes into the second half.

Controlling play most of the game, Middlebury had a wide advantage in shots (19-3) and penalty corners (11-2). Ledoux finished the game with eight saves. Both Junior Becca Shaw, who played the first 62:41 of the game and sophomore Madeline Brooks, who saw 7:19 of action, were not credited with saves.

Keene State (10-4) returns to Little East Conference play on Saturday when it hosts Worcester State. Winners of fourth straight, Middlebury (6-3) is at Conn. College on Saturday.

(Middlebury Athletics Website)

UNION

2010-10-08T10:02:00.001-04:00

MIDD 4

UNION 0

Middlebury scored three goals in the game's first 19:06 on its way to a 4-0 non-league win over Union on Kohn Field. The 17th-ranked Panthers improve to 4-3 overall as they prepare to host Amherst on Saturday, while union drops to 4-5.

Middlebury took the lead just :53 seconds in when Elinore O'Brien tipped in a shot after a scramble in the Union crease area. The lead doubled at 13:18, when O'Brien struck again for her third of the season. Lauren Greer's shot was saved by Sarah Rios, with Greer gathering the rebound and sliding a quick pass to O'Brien for the goal.

Middlebury made it a 3-0 game at 19:06, when Greer scored with a reverse stick goal in transition, taking a nice feed from Charlotte Gardiner. Greer scored her team-leading fifth of the season for the only second half goal (48:39), putting home her own rebound.

Becca Shaw earned the shutout in goal for Middlebury, making six saves on the afternoon, while Rios made 15 stops for Union.

(Middlebury Athletics Website)

Pictures from practice in the rain!

2010-10-05T11:00:00.003-04:00

COLBY

2010-10-04T13:36:00.000-04:00

Midd: 2 Colby: 1

In a game where each team had the better of play in one half, 13^th-ranked Middlebury scored two second-half goals to pull out a 2-1 win over Colby College in NESCAC field hockey at Bill Alfond Field on Saturday. The Panthers break a brief two-game skid move to 3-3 overall and 2-2 in NESCAC play, while Colby falls to 3-4 overall and 0-4 in the league.

Colby had a 13-5 shot advantage and a 5-1 margin in penalty corners in the opening half. Heather Quadir scored unassisted with 10:50 left in the first half for a 1-0 lead at intermission.

Middlebury turned things around in the second half, with a 14-4 advantage in shots and a 7-2 lead in penalty corners. Sally Ryan set the tone for the Panthers by scoring just 1:10 into play on an unassisted tally. Charlotte Gardiner scored the game-winning goal with 11:11 remaining.

Middlebury goaltender Madeline Brooks had seven of her nine saves in the first half, while Colby keeper Liz Fontaine added eight of her 11 stops in the second half.

(Middlebury Athletics Website)

MEET THE 2010 CAPTAINS!

2010-09-28T13:54:00.007-04:00

Name: Chase Delano #7

Class: Senior

Hometown: Greenwich, CT

Position: Midfield

Major: Art History

Name: Sally Ryan #19

Class: Senior

Hometown: Mountain Lakes, NJ

Major: Economics

Position: Forward

How does it feel to be a captain of the 2010 Middlebury FH team?

Chase: I'm still soaking in the fact that I'm in my final season of field hockey with this Middlebury team and that it is already my turn be a senior leader. Being a captain is a challenging job because of all the responsibility that comes with it, but I can't think of anything more rewarding than leading this particular wolf pack. I hope that I can fill the shoes of all the Midd captains who came before me.

Sally: I have had a blast being one of the captains of the field hockey team. Although there are many responsibilities that go along with it, the girls on this team make it very easy. It is so fun to work with such inspired and hard working teammates. Having the opportunity to lead them through a season has been such a great learning experience for me and I hope that I will help all of my teammates grow as players and as people just like my previous captains have done for me.

What is your favorite MIDDFH moment?

C: One of my fav moments is dressing up for halloween practices, whether a banana or Destinay-nay. Another enjoyable moment was my freshman year at Steve's Diner at the very end of our season....all I can say is Thank you, Dana Heritage.

S: Of course I have many favorite MIDDFH moments from the past few years but focusing on this year, I think that the pre-game dance party that we have in our home locker room before the coaches come in is one of my favorite times with the team. Specifically, before the Trinity game, we saw a dancing side of girls that we never knew they had. That circle of enthusiasm and excitement is what gave us the spark we needed for the game and the ultimate OT win was well deserved and incredibly fun.

What do you love most about your teammates?

C: They are some of the best dancers on campus. Whether past teammates or present, Middlebury field hockey players are known for their dance moves. And they are also a great group of fun, down to earth girls. But I am serious about the dancing part too...just ask Taryn Petrelli ('09) to bust a move, or better yet, turn on Scatman and Coach will show you.

S: I love that: Chase wears a banana suit and roller blades, M Kahn cries when she can't attend a Biology Academic Conference with her friend who's name is Zeus, Liz Garry shares a love for hot dogs and milk shakes, Heather Karpas gives me friendship bracelets, Lucy Jackson uses the word "coolio" and will always be there for her BEVERLEYs, B Shaw will always watch "Dexter" with me and will let me sit on her pads when I get tired at practice, Hannah Clarke has the best sense of humor even when she gets pantsed, Margs keeps me entertained at the library and will always share her chocolate milk, Charlotte drives a suburban..., Maddie Brooks is always smiling even if I bat the ball into her stomach, ummmm HELLO Lauren has a superb singing voice, Molly has a good one too (when harmonizing with Lauren), Clara always supports me and my inserts, Hana Kahn translates for Maddie when needed, Ellie carries on the Bearcat tradition, Dee likes sleepovers and pillow talk, Rachel lets me call her "Rach Dawwggg," Meredith has amazing dance moves, Katie Schide is always there for a ride, Katie Theiss is just crazy, and Hannah Deoul still wears pig-tails.

What is your favorite class you have taken at Midd?

C: I really enjoyed my Modern Art class with Professor Hoving last spring and a j-term class I took sophomore year about Bob Dylan.

S: My favorite class that I have taken at Middlebury has been Creative Process as Cultural Dance, which brought out my artistic dance side. I also am enjoying the class that I'm in right now, Experimental Economics, which is fascinating to me.

5. What does being a panther mean TO YOU?

C: Being a panther means upholding the traditions and expectations set by previous generations of Midd field hockey players. It means challenging yourself at any and every opportunity, while also taking time to appreciate and enjoy each minute you spend on the field with your closest friends because you know it won't last forever. And of course, it also means we get to eat lots and lots of delicious food at our tailgates thanks to our generous parents.

S: Being a PANTHER is something that I will be proud of forever. Our traditions here at Middlebury are so meaningful, not just in the sports world but in the real world as well. I have so much respect for everyone who comes through this program which revolves around hard work, dedication and love for the game and the team. Our coaches are outstanding and have created one of the greatest support systems I have ever had. I am so thankful to be surrounded by such incredible people and although my memories will last a lifetime I need to remind myself that the days of being a PANTHER on Kohn Field are dwindling and have to take advantage of these "good times" while I can. Walking onto the field singing "I don't know what but today's going to be a great dayyyy!!" with Lauren and Molly always lifts my spirits and sets the mood for the day.

6. Favorite spot on campus?

C:Proctor during dinner time with the team after a long, hard practice

S: Besides sitting in our retractable lazy-boy called "homegirl" that is in the living room of our house, eating Munchies, and watching the show "Friends," my favorite spot on campus is Peter Kohn Field. I don't think you can have a playing field with a better view than that. There is nothing better then being at practice, with the beautiful mountains in the background, watching the sky change colors as the sun goes down.

7. Do you have any pre-game rituals?

C: I read an inspirational quote given to me by my senior captain when I was a freshman in high school. It reminds me of all the talented players I've been on a team with over the past 8 years and helps me visualize how I want to play in the game. I also like to dance a little and loosen things up before I hit the field, obvs.

S: I try not to be very superstitious before games because what really matters is what happens on the field but I do like to get down early, put my feet up on the wall, and then listen and dance to the locker room music with the team.

MIDD vs. BOWDOIN- September 25, 2010

2010-09-26T11:01:00.000-04:00

In another top 10 national battle, #7 Bowdoin picked up a 1-0 road win at #10 Middlebury on Saturday afternoon. Ella Curren scored on a penalty corner at the 64:10 mark, as the Polar Bears held off a late flurry by the Panthers.

Neither team had many shots early, with Middlebury's Elizabeth Garry making a defensive save. Bowdoin had a couple of chances in the first half, but Middlebury keeper Madeline Brooks (7 saves) made a pair of nice saves on back-to-back corners, as Bowdoin's Curran just missed a third chance with a shot off the post.

The game's only goal came with just 5:50 remaining on a Polar Bears' penalty corner. Elizabeth Clegg injected the ball to Michaela Calnan, who stopped it for the blast from Curren that put Bowdoin on the board.

Middlebury gained some momentum down the stretch, but were unable to tie the game. Charlotte Gardiner had her shot denied by Bowdoin's Emily Neilson (4 saves), while the Panthers earned two corners in the final minute, but were unsuccessful.

(Middlebury Athletics Website)

FALL CLINIC 2010

2010-09-23T14:44:00.002-04:00

After our BIG WIN against Trinity on Saturday, the panthers spent Sunday hosting our annual fall field hockey clinic on Kohn Field. The players had a blast coaching the cubs (elementary school players), tigers (middle school players), and panthers (high school players).

The clinic took place from 1:00-4:00 and included skill stations, small game play, and 9 v. 9 scrimmages. Clinic participants were both tired and happy at the end of the afternoon :).

Next, off to preparing for Saturday's big game against BOWDOIN!

Home Opener Weekend- Overtime win against TRINITY

2010-09-23T13:48:00.004-04:00

Trinity: Win 4-3 OT

The Panthers, now 1-1 in conference and 2-1 overall, beat #7 Trinity in overtime this past Saturday in the team's home-opening game on Peter Kohn Turf field.

The bantams took the lead at the very beginning of the game, taking a 1-0 lead just 34 seconds into the first half. At 14:48, junior Heather Karpas tipped in a shot from Lauren Greer to tie the game at 1-1.

Middlebury took the lead at 23:40 when Sally Ryan tipped in a reverse shot from Clara St. Germain. Defensive poise from midfielders Ellie O'Brien and Margaret Souther helped keep Middlebury on top for the remainder of the first half.

Early into the second half, Chase Delano shot a rocket into the net off of a penalty corner to bring the score to 3-1. Hannah Clarke and Margaret Souther both assisted on the goal.

With just 15 minutes of play remaining, Trinity scored twice off of a penalty corner and a left side cross to bring the score to 3-3. The game stayed tied throughout the remainder of regulation.

Just 4:16 into overtime, Lauren Greer scored the game winning goal in the midst of a cluttered Trinity defensive circle. Liz Garry, Charlotte Gardiner, and Chase Delano all helped to move the ball up the field leading to Greer's goal.

The Panthers take on the Bowdoin Polar Bears next at home! Saturday September 25, 2010 Peter Kohn Turf Field.

All-NESCAC Selections

2009-11-12T17:06:00.006-05:00

Congratulations to the whole Middlebury team and four people in particular for receiving All-NESCAC award!

Lauren Greer--Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-NESCAC
Emily Blair--First Team All-NESCAC
Heather McCormack--Second Team All-NESCAC
Chase Delano--Second Team All-NESCAC

Click here to read the release: http://www.nescac.com/sports/fh/2009-10/honors/allconference

OFF TO NCAAS!!!!!!!

2009-11-12T17:04:00.002-05:00

Hello Midd Fans!!

After a week of waiting we received the great news that we had received an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament. We played a well-fought game against a great opponent (UMASS Dartmouth) and came out on top 5-1!

Now, we are off to play Trinity at Ursinus College on Saturday at 2:00. Hopefully the game will be webcast and all of our far away fans can watch it from home!

Thanks for all the support throughout the season so far and lets keep it going!!!!

Featured Alums!

2009-11-04T10:56:00.011-05:00

Lacey Farrell '08 (top picture) and Taryn Petrelli '09 (bottom picture) have been chosen as our featured alums! They both ran the NYC Marathon on Sunday!! wooohoooo!! Read below to see how they answered some questions!

Panther: Occupation, and where you're living

Taryn: Professionally looking for a job and I live at home with mom and dad but mostly Bodie...
Lacey: I am currently a securities analyst at an investment bank and I live in New York City.

Panther: What have you been up to since graduating?

T: Mostly I've been training for the marathon and for the past two months that has also included job searching and walking Bodie almost every day. Bodie is my 6 year old Black lab for anyone who hasn't had the pleasure of meeting him.
L: Although I still spend most of my time wishing I was still in college, I have begrudgingly entered "the real world." I am still working on what that means! Can I get a follow-up interview in a couple of years?

Panther: What is your favorite Middlebury field hockey moment?

T: SO many to choose from! I'd have to go with NCAAs my junior year. We may have lost in the finals but the two weekends leading up to it were some of the best field hockey games I've ever been a part of and I've never had more fun...especially the night we got back after the finals.
L: There are so many! Nothing can top our NCAA run my senior year. Prior to the start of overtime in our NCAA semifinal game against Salisbury, Reid and I went into the captains' huddle and the refs asked both sides if they were familiar with the overtime rules and regulations. After planing multiple overtime games that season (including a NESCAC semifinal OT victory over Tufts and an OT win over Messiah in the NCAA regionals), Reid and I looked at each other and laughed. Salisbury, however, had quite a different reaction. They had never played an OT game that season and needed a brush up on the rules. At that moment, I knew we had them beat. We were gritty and determined to take charge of our own destiny. Hearing the ball crack against the back of the cage as we sealed our trip to the championship, I am not so sure I have ever jumped so high. I have the picture of myself, Reid, and Katherine reacting to the victory framed in my apartment --it makes me smile everytime.

Panther: You just completed the NYC marathon....explain what it felt like train and finish?

T: Training was definitely one of the harder things I've ever done but when you spend summers and winters training for sports at Midd. I still had a little bit of discipline left in my system. There are no words for what it feels like crossing the finish line, although pain comes to mind...but really it is a combination of relief, achievement, lethargy, and immense joy.
L: I decided to run the marathon after I caught the "marathon bug" last fall as I was craving the structure of a training schedule that I had for so long. For once running became fun for me as it was no long something that i had to do, but something that I chose to do. And honestly if you sit at a desk all day, a good run (and time outside for that matter) can be quite therapeutic. Although crossing the finish line felt physically terrible (I could not feel my legs at that point), it was a great emotional victory for it showed me that I really could do anything I set my mind to do.

Panther: What did you learn while playing on the Midd Field Hockey Team helped you get through the marathon?

T: Playing field hockey helped me learn that the end result should never be the main focus and is not the most important thing. It is much more about the experience leading up to it and that includes all of the preparation and angst and injuries that you go through in the months leading up to the race. And then once I was finally there I could just sit back and enjoy the ride because that's what it's all about!
L: Well, Midd FH literally did get me to the finish line! During the race, I was wearing a Middlebury Field Hockey shirt and as I passed the crowds I received many "yeah Middlebury" cheers. It was a great "pick me up" as it made me think of my roots and all my former coaches and teammates who pushed me to search for the next challenge.

Panther: Any advice for the future Midd Field Hockey players?

T: It will be impossible to recreate in the years after graduating the feeling of being a part of a team with the constant support and friendship that surrounds you, so soak up every moment, every practice, every sprint, and every celebration. Most of my support during the marathon came from my extended Middlebury family, so it just goes to show that you will take all of these people with you even after the last game.
L: Block tackle with two hands on the ground (...or do whatever Delo tells you to do). If you cannot seem to follow her ever so "subtle" reminders, you will have to write a paper about it. Her threats are not empty!

Panther: What do you miss most about Midd?

T: My TEAM. OBVI. Oh AND the trainers...I could really use one right now.
L: I miss the people. I couldn't have asked for a better four years surrounded by such an incredible support system. The friends and mentors that I made at Middlebury will stay with me for many years to come. Oh, and I definitely miss the AMAZING yellow cake with chocolate icing from the dining hall. It cannot be replicated elsewhere!

Player Perspective: St. Lawrence

2009-11-03T10:07:00.004-05:00

We had a crazy adventure getting to St. Lawrence. After riding for a while on the bus, we came to the ferry to take us across the water into New York (because the bridge is no longer available...its apparently under construction). So our bus rode on a ferry, and it took us 4 hours to get to St. Lawrence. When the game started, the atmosphere was upbeat and the tempo of the game was intense from the start. I don't think that I've played in a field hockey game that has been so back and forth and high scoring. Everyone played together and gave it their best effort. We all were passing really well and supporting each other all over the field. The other team had some great defenders and ball handlers that kept us on our toes, so the game stayed exciting the whole way through. I think part of what made the game so fun was that we never knew for sure that the game was ours - we always had to be ready for St. Lawrence to answer back to any goals we scored. It was a competitive match. Playing under the lights was also a highlight. Oh, wait. I forgot to mention the huge "cockroach with exoskeleton looking bugs" that were invading the field. I came off for a break and noticed one of them in front of me and I couldn't believe my eyes. IT WAS HUGE. If that wasn't enough, I realized that there were TONS of them all over the field. It was creepy and they walked like robots. It may or may not have thrown my game off for a second or two. I've seen worms before after a night of intense rain, but never have I encountered huge bugs like these. When we got back to Middlebury, one was stuck on Heather Karpas's bag, and I was suddenly worried that they would reproduce and eat away at our turf. I think I was being a little paranoid - there has been no sign of them on Peter Kohn field.

The trip was very successful - I think we were all happy that we came home with a win, especially because it was a REALLY late night. We arrived back on campus at 2 am (ON A SCHOOL NIGHT! : 0), and I'm pretty sure that most people who had class before 10 didn't make it (with the exception of those who had tests at 8 am like Mullsy). To all those alums who got out of Midd before tough economic times, this is what happens when you have a low budge (just kidding...kind of). The trip was definitely worth it even though we made it back so late (or early I should say). We had a lot of fun together - especially when we took a pit stop and bought donuts and pizza and other goodies. Food being a number one priority on this team, that stop was VERY important for a smooth ride home. I wish I could say more about the bus ride, but I think I speak for a lot of people (maybe not the hardcore studiers) when I say that it didn't really last that long for me. I was out cold until we made it back. Overall, the trip to St. Lawrence certainly gave us momentum for Bates, and hopefully we will keep it up throughout the playoffs!
-Heather McCormack '10

Oh the St. Lawrence adventure.! We got on the bus at 12:10pm, I put on my anti-nausea wrist bands and prepared myself for the long journey ahead. The ferry ride was pretty crazy, I never imagined our huge bus could fit on the ferry, but sure enough it did! Sally and I snapped pictures if you don't believe me! We were graced by the presence of Abby Copeland (the JV FH coach and skiing coach) and boy is she a hoot! She taught us all how to wear our winter hats stylishly (covering the eyebrows fully and ears showing). We all, especially Coach, took note! Her dance moves to St. Lawrence's warm up mix were pretty incredible. As Heather mentioned, the atmosphere of the game was wild. I don't think I have ever been part of a game in which eleven goals were scored! Their was such an energy about both teams that night! It was pretty surreal under the lights, with the misting rain and the GIANT BUGS! As a team we always take note of other teams locker rooms. At Middlebury we are so spoiled with our facilities we are quick to judge others locker rooms. St. Lawrence's locker room was very nice. I was particularly impressed by the water fountain in the locker room which I referred to as "The Fountain of Youth" because it was so cold and delicious. Our whole team drank from that fountain, and although we were well prepared for the game I think I could attribute at least part of that great win to that holy drinking water.
-Logan Brown '11

Player Perspective: Keene and Conn

2009-11-03T10:06:00.001-05:00

The panthers had suffered a tough loss at the beginning of Fall Break against Amherst and we were anxious but excited to get back on track and have a big win against Keene State. We’d had a great Fall break weekend on campus. We obviously carried on the tradition of carving pumpkins at Breadloaf, and also, our favorite part, getting delicious honeycrisp apple and cider donuts while we picked out our pumpkins. Although it was unusually cold this year, we still had a great time at Breadloaf. The freshman thought of the theme, “Red Carpet”, and we created our pumpkins as we saw fit. The many pumpkin motifs included, Peter Kohn, Garfield, Hollywood Stars, and Jon and Kate plus Eight. Needless to say, when Tuesday rolled around we were pumped for our game. We came out strong against Keene, scoring a goal in the first 2 minutes to get off on the right foot. By the end of the first half the score was 3-0, but we still weren’t going to put our guard down. We finished off the second half with three more goals to secure a big win.

After Keene, we were looking forward to the weekend game against Conn College and another chance to prove our strength in the NESCAC. Although the game started off slowly with a score of 0-0 at half time, we were dominating the game and it was just a matter of time before we put our goal scoring into high gear. We knew after half time that we needed to score, and that led to 2 goals within the first 5 minutes. We kept the momentum going and put in 2 more goals to finish off the half, allowing only 1 goal from the Camels. What was really great about this game too was that no player scored more than one goal, but everyone really helped to participate in the win. After Conn, we could only be excited about our next game at St. Lawrence!

Allison Grant '11, Chase Delano '11

Player Perspective--Union and Amherst

2009-10-16T10:33:00.004-04:00

This past Tuesday we took on the Union Dutchmen under the lights. After a successful doubleheader weekend, Midd couldn't wait to get back out on the field. Although we were a bit taken back by their lack of warm-up music, we decided to create our own beat on the field. Lauren Greer '13 started us off on the right note with a beautiful flick that "went over all and in goal." Heather McCormack followed suit with her clutch tip late in the half. Mullery Doar's '10 bangin' shots and Sally Ryan's '11 clean up in the goal put Midd up 4-0 in the second half. With everyone making their own unique contribution, Midd tacked yet another win (our fifth straight!) to their record.

On Saturday, Middlebury suffered a tough loss to the Amherst Purple Cows. With 2 quick goals at the beginning of the first half, Amherst put Middlebury on its heels. Yet, Midd answered right away with a quick goal from Charlotte Gardiner '13. After both teams scored once more making it 3-2, it looked like a close game. When Amherst player, Haley Douds, completed her hat trick of the game in the second half, the Panthers were running out of time. We fought hard till the end of the game, but unfortunately, couldn't pull out the W. After 5 games in 8 days, the Middlebury Panthers were in need of a break. We spent the rest of the long weekend in Burlington watching Fame and pumpkin carving at Breadloaf.
--Maddie Kahn '11, Sally Ryan '11

Player Perspective--Colby, Wesleyan and the Senior Dinner

2009-10-08T14:14:00.005-04:00

So this past weekend, we started off a double header weekend against Colby on Saturday. So nice not to have to trek up to Augusta and also to be home for parents weekend! SUCH a big crowd, all our families and friends and according to the Middlebury Campus newspaper even President Ron Leibowitz! Everyone got to play, contributing to a great team win with goals by so many different players. Both Hannah Clarke ’12 and Molly Downey ’13 scored their first collegiate goals, and the goalies gave us another shutout performance. All the hard work and effort that went into the win gave us HUGE appetites for our senior dinner that night. We headed up to Shoreham to Charlie Jackson’s house to honor this years seniors (we love you Mulls, Dana, Heather and Kerry!), and to remember our 5 fantastic alumni from 2008 (Missed you Marn-Monster!). We all ate WAY too much, but with swordfish, steak, amazing salads, Mrs. Souther’s phenomenal cookies and B-Shaw’s chocolate fountain (a new staple at every tailgate?) how could we resist!

The Wesleyan Cardinals made the trek up to face us on our second game of the weekend. We took our momentum from our Saturday game into this one also, and came out with another win. It was another great performance by so many players and a wonderful way to top off our fall family weekend. We wrapped up a very busy stretch (four games in eight days) with our fifth straight win. Once again, Mrs. Souther's cookies featured in our celebration, and the "high five" hand shaped cookies, representing our five wins, were a huge hit! This 4-0 win over Union was a solid performance by the entire team; goals came from all around, and goalkeeper Maddie Brooks earned another shutout win! The strong performances, and the excitement for the approaching fall break kept the team's spirits up as midterm week got busy. Next on the list: preparations for Middlebury's Saturday opponent--Amherst.
--Emily Blair '12, Hannah Clarke '12, Liz Garry '12

Lauren Greer is NESCAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK

2009-10-05T18:34:00.005-04:00

Our very own Lauren Greer has been named NESCAC Player of the Week!! Below is the write-up from the NESCAC website. Congrats Lauren!

Lauren Greer, Middlebury

(First Year, Forward - North Hampton, N.H.)

Greer contributed ﬁ ve goals and an assist to lead the Panthers to a 3-0 week at home. On Wednesday against Skidmore, Greer factored into all three Middlebury goals with two tallies and an assist in a 3-1 win. She added two more goals on Saturday in a 7-0 decision over Colby, then collected her ﬁfth goal of the week in a 5-3 win over Wesleyan on Sunday. The rookie now leads the Panthers in scoring with six goals in seven games this season.

Player Perspective On Bowdoin and Skidmore

2009-10-05T15:20:00.009-04:00

The week before Bowdoin, we practiced everyday hungry to redeem our spirits after two tough losses to Trinity and Tufts. After man years of hard fought games we were ready to finally beat the polar bears on their turf! When Friday came, we had a six hour bus ride up to Brunswick, ME. Traveling with women’s soccer to and from Bowdoin we relished in the chance to watch some good chick flicks (including Center Stage which was a big hit). On the way there the teams stopped at Lui Lui’s in NH to get some delish dinner. When we arrived at our hotel it was about ten o’clock just enough time to get in a good pre game talk and catch a bit of television on the boob tube before getting a good night’s sleep. The weekend was a total Midd fest in Maine as we had men’s soccer, women’s soccer, football and ourselves all playing in Brunswick. Our game was first and after some technical difficulties (aka Logan attempting to mold her mouth guard in the murky warm waters of the training room heat packs) we warmed up on a field that was all too familiar to the returners on Midd FH. Coach was so excited to get out on the field that we didn’t do keywords but this little mix up would prove not to be and issue in doing what we came to Bowdoin to do (KICK BUTT!).Warm ups went great and we begrudgingly admitted that we liked the polar bears warm up mix, U2 anyone? We started off strong and stayed strong during the whole game. We capitalized on opportunities to score when we could and our defense and frosh goalie Maddie Brooks kept us in the game. Liz Garry made a diving save across the mouth of the goal to stop a shot that was bound for the backboards in true panther style. Although we had some injuries every member of the team, including another freshman, Margaret Souther, stepped up to keep our level of play elevated. Seniors Dana Heritage and Heather McCormack each had great goals, Dana’s a hard drive from the top of the circle and Heather Mac tipping a nice hit from Charlotte Gardiner into the cage. Once the buzzer went off, the score said Home: 0 Guest: 2. We had so many alumni and parents cheering for us to win and that is exactly what we did.

Following the game we had a tailgate with great food like Helen McCormack’s meatballs and other delicious items. We watched the end of the men’s soccer game and got to the football game to see one play before the half. We were quickly back on the bus with girl’s soccer (who also won!) with our spirits high.

Our game against Skidmore came quickly that following Tuesday and was our first home game in over two weeks. The weather provided a great day to play field hockey as turf was wet (from the many rainy days we had had and there was a cool breeze coming across Peter Kohn field. We were ranked #15 while Skidmore was #10 but this didn’t phase us. The game was close and intense and was tied 1-1 for most of the 70 minutes of play. We had scored in the first half to make it 1-0 at halftime, but Skidmore came back aggressively and tied it up. With ten minutes remaining we came back with two goals and great offensive efforts by Sally Ryan, Charlotte Gardiner, and Lauren Greer. We did a great job of moving the ball around the field and our forwards did a great job putting the ball in the back of the net. Charlotte had her first career goal on a rebound that was shot by Lauren finishing off a great two game run in style.
--Lucy Jackson '12, Becca Shaw '12, Heather Karpas '12

Awesome Alumni Support

2009-10-01T11:08:00.006-04:00

This post is a little overdue....but here are some great pictures (Courtesy of Katherine Entwisle) from our Trinity game. We had many alums in attendance and below are a few pictures from the event!

Katharine DeLorenzo (Coach), Katherine Entwisle '08, Lacey Farrell '08, Reid Berrien '08 (Asst. Coach)

Caitlin Pentifallo '09 (Asst. Coach), Lindsay McBride '09, Sophie Thompson '09, Reid Berrien '08, Julia Bergofsky McPhee '02 (holding son Ryan), Miche Bergofsky '06, Katherine Entwisle '08, Taryn Petrelli '09, Lacey Farrell '09

We did it!

2009-10-01T10:59:00.002-04:00

FINALLY! We beat Bowdoin this past weekend 2-0!! It was a phenomenal game, with a great effort from everyone. This game put a halt to a 9-game streak dating all the way back from 2004 (the last time we beat them!) I think I speak for all the alums when I say I'm so proud of our team!! Below is the write-up from the game:

A pair of first-half goals snapped Middlebury's eight-match losing streak to rival Bowdoin and gave the Panthers their first NESCAC win of the season in a 2-0 decision on Saturday. The Panthers (2-2, 1-2 NESCAC) had not beaten the Polar Bears (3-2, 1-2) since 2004, including a pair of defeats in NCAA Tournament play.

Middlebury found the back of the cage just over 14 minutes into the contest, when Dana Heritage cracked a drive from the top-right of the circle to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Bowdoin had a great chance to tie the score with under five minutes to play in the half, as a give-and-go attempt by Polar Bears McKenna Teague and Liz Clegg forced a defensive save by Middlebury's Liz Garry to retain the one-goal advantage. Heather McCormack made the Polar Bears pay just moments later, finishing off a scrum off the left post to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead at intermission.

Bowdoin's best chance to chip away at the lead came in the second period as Ingrid Oelschlager's attempt trickled just wide of the net. Madeline Brooks stopped six shots in net for the Panthers, who dealt the Polar Bears just their second home loss in the last five seasons. Emily Neilson stopped nine shots for the Polar Bears. (Middlebury Athletic Website)

Featured Alum!

2009-09-29T11:55:00.005-04:00

Nina and her husband, Charlie Lynch, on their wedding day in Jackson Hole, WY

Nina Johnson is our current featured alum! I decided to pick Nina first because she is the reason I decided to come to Middlebury! Having grown up knowing the Johnson family all my life, in 1998 I was excited to learn that Nina had won a national championship and was an all-american. As an 8th grader I made the decision to come to Middlebury based on this and all the amazing things she always had to say about Middlebury. I'm so glad she convinced me so many years ago!

Panther: Occupation, and where you're living:
Nina: I'm in public relations and most of my experience/clients are in the ski, action sports and luxury travel industries. I live in Utah with my husband, Charlie, and our two dogs, Ruby and Bananas. Get in touch if you're in town to ski or just play outside!

Panther: What have you been up to since graduating?
Nina: Since graduation I've been all over the place. Colorado, Montana, Idaho, San Francisco, an unforgettable mountaineering trip to India, and now Utah. I've been working hard and playing hard, and love calling Utah home. Charlie and I were married last September up in Jackson Hole where my parents will soon call home!

Panther: What is your favorite Middlebury field hockey moment?
Nina: Hearing the ball smash the backboard on Kully's winning corner drive in overtime at our NCAA championship game - and celebrating for days afterwards!

Panther: What is your personal favorite play(s) from field hockey?
Nina: Anyone who knows me, played with me or against me knows the answer to this already: y-dodge.

Panther: Explain what it felt like to win a National Championship?
Nina: Just a gigantic high. Mind blowingly awesome and unforgettable - All the work and time you, your teammates, your coaches, your parents and Hugh Marlow put into practicing, drilling, training and supporting each other finally pays off in the most remarkable and rewarding way. You're speechless because there's really nothing to say. We proved to everyone that our team dynamic couldn't be beaten. Yeah, we had mad skills, but more so, we really respected each other and knew how to motivate and push each other to the next level. You wanted to do your best for the team, not for personal gain. I'll never forget what that felt like - we were a special team, with unforgettable leadership and seniors who set the perfect tone.

Panther: Any advice for the 2009 team?
Nina: Work hard and train hard, but like anything, take time to stop and enjoy the view.

Panther: What do you miss most about Midd?
Nina: The hills (living in the Rockies I can't call the Green Mountains "mountains" :)), the fall colors, best best best, life-long friends within arms reach at all times, the smell of fall, and yeah, late night pizza sticks. I admit it.

Freshmen Perspective

2009-09-26T15:55:00.005-04:00

Where to begin?

This month has been filled with so many adjustments to every aspect of our lives: new faces, new schedules and a new team. But we jumped in right away with preseason. We woke up at five a.m , brushed our teeth in the dark and tried to make as little noise possible as we set out for six a.m practice and watched our first Middlebury sunrise over the mountains with our new team. When we found out we made the team we walked into the locker room and were met with an array of Middlebury wear and “that little extra” to inspire us.
We iced our legs at the Gorge and Bristol falls for the first time and received valuable advice from our veteran teammates. We started classes not really knowing anyone other than our teammates…that’s all we really needed. At our first game against Tufts we were met with all kinds of new rituals ,warm up mixes and “ that little extra” that makes this team what it is. The tailgates are to die for. We’ve been on two away trips that have been great bonding experiences, played a few games of charades here and there in front of the whole bus…

The calendar says we've been here almost a month but at this moment it feels like we’ve been here for much longer. We couldn’t ask for better teammates to play with. And we couldn’t ask for a better team to guide us into this new chapter in our lives. We’re excited for the rest of the season and ready to get on a roll!

-Lauren Greer '13, Maddie Brooks '13, Margaret Souther '13, Molly Downey '13, Charlotte Gardiner '13

Meet the 2009 Captains!

2009-09-21T11:04:00.003-04:00

Name: Dana Heritage #22
Class: Senior
Hometown: Cheshire, CT
Position: Defense
Major: Psychology

Name: Mullery Doar #11
Class: Senior
Hometown: Winnetka, IL
Position: Midfield
Major: Psychology

What does Panther pride mean to you?

Mullery: It means giving it your all for a team that you couldn't imagine living without.
Dana: Keeping alive a legacy of tradition, high standards, and excellence both on and off the playing field.

What position do you play and why do you like it?

M: I play midfield and I like it because I get to be a part of all the action.
D: Fullback I guess we are calling it these days...I love being the last line of defense, and denying attackers from scoring. The vision back there also gives me the added bonus to be able to watch my teammates dominate and dangle up field, which I also love.

What are your goals for the season?

M: To win lots and often and have more fun than any season before.
D: To have no regrets, to enjoy every moment, to have a ton of fun, and to compete with the best of the best.

What is your favorite Midd field hockey moment?

M: There are so many, but if I had to pick one it would be walking into the locker room for the first time after I made the team and seeing all the gear and realizing how lucky I was to be a part of it all and to have four years ahead of me. (Close second…Coach playing IM hockey with us.)
D: The road to the championship in 2007 is most definitely a highlight of my career and an experience I strive to repeat. There was no better feeling than surprising Messiah as the underdog, beating TCNJ on their home turf, and schooling Salisbury in overtime. Even though we fell short to Bowdoin in the final, the atmosphere in that stadium, our team’s unfailing camaraderie, and the intensity on that field are unforgettable.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

M: Tons! I always excuse myself from certain drills during warm up for some “me time”. Heather McCormack and I have walked on to the field together since freshman year, and I am always on the left, and the two of us now jokingly tell Dana "shhh" as we begin the walk.
D: It is a tradition of ours to always walk out to the field in complete silence. Because I sometimes have trouble with this, one time during my freshman year I made a comment and was immediately shushed by Heather and Mulls who were walking in front of me. Now before every game I have to make some noise in the line just so that we can get our shhhhhhh in before we play.

What is your favorite thing about our team?

M: We are good and care about the game and winning but at the end of the day we are each others best friends and have more fun together than anyone could imagine.
D: . I love our ability to turn the switch, meaning not only do we know when to work hard, push each other, and compete, but we also know how to lighten things up with a joke or good laugh. This balance works so well and I believe plays an important role in our success together.

What is your favorite Middlebury spot on campus?

M: The Grille!!! (with a chicken quesadilla in my hand)
D: There are so many awesome spots on campus...the Grille, the new no-mow zones, watching the sunsets over the Adirondacks from the Great Hall...but I would have to say that Peter Kohn Field is one of the best. Still in my last year of playing, I stand out there in awe realizing how fortunate I am to play day in and day out on a field with that setting. To be able to practice while also watch the sun set over the Green mountains, the clouds shift over Kenyon, and the Mead Chapel steeple peek through the far end line, is unreal.

What will you miss most about Midd?

M: Playing on this team, the bus rides, the sunsets, fall foliage, the quesadillas....and the bagel deli.
D: I'll miss a lot, probably everything…game days, fall days, the first snowfall, pita and tomato soup Mondays in Atwater, tailgates, classes, J-term, locker room mixes…but above everything I will miss my teammates, coaches, and the memories that complemented them all!

What is your favorite class you've taken at Midd?

M: I've had a lot of good ones, but Sports, Media and Identity was a great one, because I was learning about a topic so relevant in my life.
D: I’ll do my top 3:
1. Nature’s Meanings with Don Mitchell- We were required to, and I did, spend a night at his sheep farm during lambing season and helped to deliver 6 lambs through the night…not my thing.
2. Color- a fantastic J-term selection where we spent hours searching through paint sample tile-chips and kept color journals to track our memorable interactions with color through the semester.
3. Winslow Homer with Kit Wilson- the ultimate duo…love both of them.

Tufts and Springfield

2009-09-17T15:09:00.000-04:00

Springfield: Win 2-1

Middlebury came from a 1-0 deficit to pick up a 2-1 win at Springfield on Tuesday night. The 11^th ranked Panthers move to 1-1 on the season as they earned the non-conference win at Springfield's Amos Alonzo Stagg Field.

With 17:42 remaining in the first half, the Pride's Meg Bradley finished off a nicely-executed penalty corner, allowing SC to take a 1-0 lead.

But before the half could be completed, the Panthers struck back. The goal was scored by sophomore defender Heather Karpas, with the assist doled out by junior forward Chase Delano. The goal came with 8:30 left, leaving the game in a 1-1 tie at the intermission.

In the second half, Middlebury began to take more control and finally broke through with 12:56 remaining. Sophomore midfielder Emily Blair scored the game-winner for the Panthers.

For Springfield, sophomore goalkeeper Alison McCarthy was credited with 12 saves, seven coming in the second half. Madeline Brooks registered four saves on the evening to pick up a win in her collegiate debut. (Middlebury Athletic Website)

Tufts: Loss 3-1

Middlebury and Tufts both opened up their seasons today on Middlebury College’s Kohn Field, as the Jumbos emerged with a 3-1 win. Tufts, who advanced to both the NESCAC and NCAA Finals a year ago, moves to 1-0 on the year, while the Panthers fall to 0-1.

The Jumbos threatened early as Margi Scholtes hit the post before Becca Shaw denied Tamara Brown on a fast break. The Jumbos broke through at 17:32 as Brown scored on a penalty corner. The Panthers came back in the second half as Lauren Greer scored her first career goal, after a quick feed from Heather McCormack in transition. Tufts took a 2-1 lead in the 57^th minute, as Jess Perkins scored from the top of the circle on a penalty corner. The Jumbos sealed the game late with a tally from Lindsay Griffith in transition.

Marianna Zak ended the day with four saves to earn the win, while Shaw made five stops for the Panthers. Tufts held a 17-6 shots advantage on the day, while Middlebury led by an 8-4 margin in penalty corners. (Middlebury Athletic Website)

Peter Kohn Passes Away

2009-08-21T17:24:00.000-04:00

As many of you have probably already heard, our beloved Peter Kohn passed away on August 5 at a University of Pennsylvania Hospital after suffering a heart attack a few days prior. Peter will be greatly missed and every time we step out on "Peter Kohn Field" we will be reminded of what an amazing inspiration and person Peter was to everyone who knew him.

There have been many articles published about Peter and I urge you to google him and read everything that's out there. I've included some links below to articles and YouTube clips that I think are worth reading and watching. Bobo Sideli '77 has graciously taken on the task of scanning Peter's thousands of photos onto Flickr and you can view them here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kohn_archive/

Feel free to e-mail me (mberrien@middlebury.edu) any stories you wish to share about Peter. Two stories from alums have already come in and you can read them below.

Memories of Peter:

I remember Pete Kohn as a good soul, always ready to help out, encourage and support. He had unshakable faith in the athletes and people with whom he worked, and his faith was contagious. Indeed, it was more powerful than I appreciated at the time. When he gave the field hockey team one of his typical, enthusiastic send offs from the steps of our coach bus, there was, I'm certain, a cynical part of me that believed our role was to respond to him with equal enthusiasm because HE needed that. Looking back, I marvel at the effect of his unequivocal belief in us, and his equally affecting ability to convey pure emotions. He expressed absolute certainty that we could accomplish anything we set out to do, just as he showered us with unchecked sympathy following a well battled loss, or a bad day. He cast his guileless support to team after after team, and to player after player, day after day after day after day.

18 years later, it seems that the cynical part of me suffered a myopia of youth. Pete's gifts played out in the short game by boosting our confidence and making us fight harder on the field. Pete's gifts play out in the long game, too. He set a high bar. Pete believed in people. He worked hard. He shared all of what he had, and he shared it with integrity, sincerity, dedication, kindness, constancy, and warmth.

We are all better people for having known Peter Kohn, and I suspect that this legacy would please him. I can see his signature smile now, always equal parts humility, joy and surprise.

If there is a team of Angels up above, they are about to get better. :)
-Cassie Robbins '91
(Field Hockey, Squash)

I have to tell you - I went out for my run yesterday and was again - thinking of Pete as I had just read your email saying the funeral was that day and to wear a bird feather. As I stretched in front of my garage post - a single, spectacularly-blue feather floated down out of the sky and landed directly in front of me where I stretched. While we have a lot of blue jays around our house - I have NEVER seen a single feather anywhere. So - it was clearly a feather from Pete reminding me to play hard and bring home the bacon.
Made me smile. Even in California Pete is watching.
-Vic Hoyt
(Lacrosse)

Here is a picture of Peter, Lindsay McBride and Katie Sparkes at graduation, where Peter was mingling, with ever present camera in hand! And, of course, he imparted to the girls more words of wisdom..."to not look back years from now and regret that there were things you didn't do".
Peter should have had no regrets at all.
-Caroline McBride

Articles:

Baltimore Sun Obituary
Inside Lacrosse, "Call to Duty"
Tribute To Peter By Dave Campbell '09
Peter Kohn featured in Sports Illustrated

Videos:

Singing "Park School" at Peter's Funeral
Memorial Short Film
Peter Dances at Vail Shoot Out 2009

Thank you!

2009-07-16T14:06:00.001-04:00

Dear Players, Parents, Alums and Coaches,

Thank you for an amazing two years. I feel blessed that I've gotten to come back to Middlebury and be part of a truly incredible family.

Luckily, Reid Berrien '08 is staying and will be the new assistant and blog manager!

I hope you're having a great summer!

Love,
Heidi

NESCAC Semi Finals

2008-11-05T15:51:00.000-05:00

Our team will play this Saturday, Nov. 8th at Tufts at 1:30 vs. Bowdoin in the Semi-Finals of the NESCAC Tournament. Hope to see you there!

Watch online @: http://www.jumbocast.com/index.php

Playoffs Begin: NESCAC Conference Tournament

2008-11-03T12:12:00.000-05:00

Middlebury Earns 2-1 Victory Over Williams in Field Hockey Quarterfinals

Middlebury defeated Williams for the second time in three days, as the Panthers ended the Ephs season with a 2-1 victory on Kohn Field in a NESCAC Quarterfinal contest. Middlebury advances to play Bowdoin in a semifinal contest next Saturday at Tufts (1:30), while the host school meets Trinity in the other semifinal matchup (11:00). The winners will battle for the NESCAC Championship at noon on Sunday.

Middlebury controlled play in the first half, holding an 11-1 shots advantage over Williams. The Panthers finally broke through with just 2:45 remaining in the session, on their ninth penalty corner of the game. Chase Delano finished off a flurry, after shots by Mullery Doar and Allison Grant had been saved by Katrina Tulla.

The Panthers doubled their lead on another penalty corner goal in the second half, this one with 22:24 remaining. Delano carried the ball towards the goal and around a defender before scoring her team-leading 23rd goal of the season, tying a Middlebury single-season record.

Williams did not go away in the second half as they pressured the Panthers with seven penalty corners. The Ephs cut the lead in half with 16:31 left as Jess Overlander took a corner pass and drove to the goal before finishing with a shot to the back of the cage.

The Ephs kept up the pressure, but Middlebury came up with some offense of its own as they came away with the 2-1 victory. Caitlin Pentifallo made a pair of saves to earn the win, while Tulla made seven stops for the Ephs.

In the win, Delano tied the school record for most goals in a season at 23, tying assistant coach, Heidi Howard '99, record set in 1998.

[Courtesy Middlebury Athletic Communications]

Players Perspective: Mid-October

2008-10-21T14:29:00.000-04:00

This week was fabulous. Our game at Keene on Tuesday night went incredibly well - everyone got in the game and had a lot of fun. It's always an interesting experience going to Keene, having to drive 10 minutes from the field to find the athletic center, and doing our pregame meeting in a log cabin "locker room." To save time, we refrained from showering and got on the bus for a sweaty 3 hour ride, then devoured lots of pizza and chocolate breadsticks...and watched a VERY PG movie called Forgetting Sara Marshall that made everyone feel really comfortable and not awkward at all...

Moving on! We had some great practices this week in preparation for Bates. Because it was alumni weekend, we knew we had to impress all the alums that have played before us! The game ended at 9-0, and everyone played well. What a team effort it was. It was also our last regular season home game, AKA senior day, and the seniors really lead the way during the whole game. Sophie had 4 goals...and let me tell you...one of her goals (maybe even all of them) should be featured on ESPN. I don't even think ripping a shot to the top utmost corner of the cage is standard in Olympic play let alone in Division III field hockey.

Another exciting aspect to our weekend was that the '98 championship team came back to celebrate their 10th reunion. We had a nice wine and cheese cocktail party to celebrate, and Heidi created an AMAZING slide show. It gave me chills watching the clip of the game winning goal in overtime in their National Championship game. I also found myself laughing a lot seeing the pictures from back in the day and all of the good times that the team had together. Although things have changed quite a bit since then, I realized this weekend how much the tradition of Middlebury field hockey has definitely been kept alive (and that we wear the same gortex jackets and pants that they wore brand new in 98).

- Heather McCormack '10 and Lucy Jackson '12

Team Picture

2008-10-21T14:24:00.000-04:00

Players Perspective: October

2008-10-21T14:18:00.000-04:00

Fresh off a lose from Bowdoin, we were ready to get back to practicing for a tough game against Trinity on Tuesday. Although we were all bummed with the loss, we decided to look forward to the rest of our season. Practice on Monday was obvs great and we really prepped and worked on our mistakes from the Bowdoin game. Needless to say our hard work paid off and we beat Trinity 3-2. The team was really excited to practice the rest of the week because we had another big game against Tufts at home.

Despite a great effort, we fell to the jumbos 3-2 in OT. But we were more than ready to put the game out of our minds (for the time being at least) and focus on happier things like.....OUR SENIOR DINNER!! Each class was assigned a job for the event: the freshman bought flowers and set the tables, the sophomores gave the seniors a black and white framed photo of the team, and the juniors put together a great picture slideshow that was quite comical. On top of a great dinner, we had special visitors to our event--Katherine (Minette) Entwisle and Lacey (Dogface) Farrell! It was really a treat to see these two, especially because they brought their parents along! It was great to be back aboard Tina's Love Train. Naturally, the after-party took place at Citgo and things got wild when the parents showed up (obvi). Some serious Mashed Potato dancing was going on to say the least. All in all, it was a very fun night with the team and our families.

- Chase Delano '11, Allison Grant '11 & Emily Blair '12

Players Perspective: Early October

2008-10-09T09:45:00.000-04:00

Coming off a great win against Colby, we enjoyed two days off and four days of intense practice, preparing for another long schlep up to Maine to challenge Bowdoin on Saturday. Earlier in the week, we enjoyed watching some of our young protégé’s of Middlebury Union High School in their match vs. CVU, the most exciting game on grass we’ve seen yet. To keep our spirits high, we celebrated freshman Heather Karpas’s birthday, complete with cookie cake and fun calendar courtesy of Coach. Thursday, to further celebrate Heather’s birthday, we enjoyed some trivia sprints which were fun, but we definitely got some conditioning in (cough cough: Juniors). On Friday, we had an excellent practice, followed by a fun-filled bus ride with the men’s soccer team, where we combined Panera (our fav) with some Jim Carrey and Jack Black in Liar Liar and Saving Silverman. If that weren’t enough excitement for the day, we ran into Channing in the Comfort Inn, looking classy in her Conn College gear and sunglasses (at 11 pm).

We felt really ready for our game vs. Bowdoin on Saturday thanks to numerous alumni pump-up emails and piñata smashed before the game. Unfortunately, we didn’t find our groove for the whole 70 minutes and fell short, losing to Bowdoin 2-0. We knew that we would take what we learned from that game to move forward and focus on our next opponents. Luckily, we had something to celebrate Saturday evening as Mullery turned 21 and Mouse Doar without fail provided an excellent gift to the entire team: chicken hats and finger puppets to support her “chicks with sticks” theme. We’re really looking forward to next week where we will play two big NESCAC games against Trinity and Tufts.

Wiki,
Marnie and Soph

Marnie Rowe '09 and Sophie Thompson '09

Players Perspective: September

2008-10-08T10:01:00.000-04:00

An outlook on three Freshman's first month as a collegiate athlete:

This is so crazy we are already half way through our regular season! We started off with a great game against Saint Lawrence with all around team efforts. As freshmen, it was our first field hockey game at the collegiate level. It was a great experience! When we stepped into the locker room before the game we could feel the excitement and intensity from each player. Everything was great: coach’s opening speech, putting on the blue and white for the first time, key words, walking out to Peter Kohn Field in two silent lines with the Green Mountains in the background, the starting line up and national anthem, and of course the first touch of the ball.
Our first warm up was the greatest. The music we chose as a team was awesome and watching coach to Skat Man confused us a bit. After the game we had our first tailgate and indulged in everything there was to eat on the table.

Our next game was the first away game at Skidmore, we enjoyed a nice present on the bus ride to the game from Mullery’s mom. There was a pair of socks for each of us with the saying “You knock our socks off”. We learned that on bus rides, no work gets done. At the tailgate, we had enough pizza to feed three teams, and enjoyed delicious desserts made by Alyssa’s mom. On the way home, we drove by “the best ice cream shop” (quote by coach) and had to turn the bus around and stop. The small ice cream cones were larges at any other place.

Our second home game was a game that showed a lot of character from our team. We played Amherst and were tied 1-1 at the first half, but ended up winning 5-2 in the end. That night for our team activity, each class dressed with its own flare. The freshman had green hats and chalkboards, the sophomores dressed in hats, the juniors dressed with balloons and the seniors were referees.

Following Amherst we had another mid week game against Springfield. Springfield was a great game, every player got to step onto the field. We earned a team shutout that could have been broken, but we held in it with no time left defending six consecutive corners.

Wesleyan was the first game with a tailgate outside by the football game! It was football’s home opener and we got the job done on Peter Kohn field. That evening the freshmen and their parents (the ones who were in town) went out to dinner at American Flatbread together.

The next weekend, we endured the loooong six hour bus ride up to Colby on Friday night. We quickly went to bed in our hotel rooms and woke up bright and early. We ate breakfast at the hotel and the whole room was packed with Middlebury athletes who were also playing Colby that day. We arrived at the field and again showed character to fight back from a 2-0 deficit, and we were able to be up 3-2 by half time. Our team had been lucky up until this point with the kind of weather during games; there had been no game with lousy weather, until we heard the forecast for the game at Colby. The weather was suppose to be awful with rain during the whole day…it was true, it did rain the whole day except for two hours from 11am to 1pm. We lucked out, no rain fell on us during the game, but the field did suffer from the earlier rain. It was very slippery out there! Quite a few players had some great spills during the game.

After the game, we ordered sandwiches that were enormous and took off down the highway to Chase’s house on the south coast of Maine. At Chase’s house, we spent the evening with our families and teammates and stayed over night as a team. We learned that Doug could and loves to dance, Lucy loves her flannel nightgown, Taryn could totes be Paris Hilton, Sophie does a great impression of George (and is Paris’s new BFF, obvi), Reid knows Heidi better, and that us freshman aren’t so great at the whole “skit” thing. We also all ate more than our body weight in all the delicious food. After staying up late into the night chatting about everything, we woke up early and ate a great breakfast that Mr. and Mrs. Delano cooked with the help of the parents that came back. We finally took off back to Middlebury and arrived safely home at 3pm to enjoy loads of homework that we didn’t do during the weekend!

- Liz Garry '12, Heather Karpas '12 & Becca Shaw '12

Alumnae of the Week

2008-10-02T18:25:00.000-04:00

Heidi Dripps Thompson '99 hugging Heidi Howard '99 and Jessa Martin McIntosh '00 after winning the '98 NCAA Championship.

Heidi Dripps Thompson '99 is our featured alum of the week. Heidi was an instrumental midfielder her four years at Midd and helped lead the 1998 team to it's first and only field hockey NCAA Championship title. She was named to the All-American, All-NESCAC and All-Tournament teams that same year. The following are some questions that we asked her:

Panther: What have you been up to the last 10 years?
Heidi: I have been living in Jackson Hole for the past 10 years. I married my childhood sweetheart, Jesse Thompson, and we have a 17 month old boy named Liam. We are expecting another in November. Jesse built us a beautiful home at the base of the Tetons, which was completed last year. I have been teaching third grade at the local public elementary school. I have had several photography exhibits and continue to try and integrate my love for art into everything I do. We spend most of our time skiing, hiking, canoeing, and biking together and just enjoying this magical place.

Panther: What is your favorite Middlebury field hockey moment?
Heidi: There are so many memories!
* The friendships you develop
* What an amazing coach Missy was!
* Team hip-hop mixes, thanks to Jessa
* OT (Muffy and I were always the 2, running up and down the field like maniacs)
* Halloween together
* Celebrating on the field (dog piles) and off the field
* Nature appreciation moments that Nina always pointed out!

Panther: What is your personal favorite play(s) from field hockey?
Heidi: Give and goes with Heidi Howard!!!

Panther: Explain what it felt like to win a National Championship?
Heidi: So rewarding!!! All those “back pocket” times sure paid off! We were the BEST of the best!!

Panther: Any advice for the 2008 team?
Heidi: Enjoy every moment, b/c it will never happen again!!! Your closest friends now will be your friends in ten years and more.

Panther: What do you miss most about Midd?
Heidi: Playing on the fields, looking up at the bright red mountains, and feeling the crisp fall air!! Too beautiful. Having so much fun with all of your teammates.

Panther: How do you feel about having a stretch named after you!?
Heidi: Yes, I heard that “Do-the Dripps” is a stretch! Well, I feel flattered, but I wish it did not have to be the “groin” stretch!

Players Perspective: Pre-Season

2008-09-30T16:02:00.000-04:00

Excluding the cooper test and three hundred yard sprints, pre-season was quite enjoyable this year. Obvi the field hockey was great and it was fun to meet so many new first years and reconnect with old teammates. However, the best part of pre-season was all the time we spent as a team! We had everything from team dinners and more importantly, desserts (obvi) to movie nights to a trip to the gorge for a natural ice bath. We especially loved our trip to the gorge. Not only did we soothe our sore muscles in the excruciatingly cold waters, but we also built up the courage to jump of the rocks into the icy cold water. Another great part of that excursion--the priceless look on the football teams' faces when we showed up to crash their ice bathing party. Also priceless was the disappearance of one of our players on the trip over, as she unfortunately pulled over by the Middlebury police for speeding (we all know she was just trying to catch up though!). The team also made our annual trip to A&W's as a well-deserved treat for all the hard work we put in during preseason! Despite the many stomachaches endured, the Big Papa burgers, baskets of fries, milk shakes and root beer floats were well worth it.

While two-a-days were loads of fun, we were all pretty eager to start the season. Having just a few practices, we opened the season with a bang in our match against St. Lawrence. Over the next few weeks, we put our skills together again and again to come out on top. Stressing precision and details, we got down to work in practice and focused on the areas of our game that needed improving. We have had a few bumps here and there, but in the end we were able to pull out a win every time!

- Logan Brown '11 and Maddie Kahn '11

Sophomore Chase Delano Earns NESCAC Player of the Week!

2008-09-30T14:42:00.000-04:00

Middlebury College field hockey player Chase Delano (Greenwich, Conn.) has been named the NESCAC Player of the Week. Delano posted three goals and an assist in the Panthers 7-3 victory at Colby on Saturday afternoon. With Colby leading 2-0 midway through the first half, Delano got the Middlebury offense going by assisting on her team’s first goal, then scored back-to-back goals in the closing moments of the half to put the Panthers up 3-2 at the break. Delano later added an insurance marker midway through the second half. She leads her team and the NESCAC with 27 points (11-5-27) on the season.

Coach Earns 200 Career Wins!

2008-09-23T11:41:00.000-04:00

Head Coach, Katharine DeLorenzo, hits milestone with 200 career wins with a win over Amherst on September 14, 2008

Career wins = 95 at Skidmore, 105 at Middlebury!!!

The following are some thoughts from the 2008 team:

What does it mean to you and our program that Coach has hit 200 career wins?

I think that coach's 200th win means a lot for our program because more of the wins come from her time at Middlebury and it's a reflection of her great coaching skills and the effect that she has had on so many players in such a small amount of time.
– Taryn Petrelli ’09, captain

This makes me feel both proud and fortunate that I am able to play under and learn from such an accomplished coach.
– Dana Heritage ‘10

It means that she is a wise leader and that she will not only lead our players in the right direction but will move the team forward.
– Maddie Kahn ‘11

Coach's 200th win to me shows her passion, dedication, commitment and competitiveness. Although she may not say it all the time and always emphasis good sportsmanship, she likes to win and works hard and pushes us to obtain those many Ws. – Logan Brown ‘11

200 wins is awesome! – Emily Blair ‘12

I was quite surprised to learn that I made the team because the level of talent is just so high, so for me its a huge honor to be on a team with such talent and to be coached by a woman with such amazing credentials is amazing. Its an honor just to wear the Middlebury uniform but its an incredible feeling to be part of a team that is so highly respected and well known in the athletic community. As for the program, the 200th win only solidifies Middlebury's dominance and will only mean bigger and better things for the team and program.
-Liz Garry ‘12

I think that it's great to see that Coach has gotten her 200th win. It means a lot to have that many wins and it's such an incredible milestone in coaching.
- Becca Shaw ‘12

Personally, Coach's 200th win represents the pride of being a part of a program that has a legacy much longer than our season. Being a member of this team means being incorporated into the larger world of the alumni who have helped contribute to this milestone. – Alyssa Crews ‘12

What is something you’d like to share about Coach with us?

One of my favorite memories with coach is from my freshman year when I was still a little bit nervous about being on the team. She kept telling me in practice to handle the ball more when I would bring it out of the defensive end instead of trying to pass it off right away to one of my teammates. One day, I just decided to beat a few people bringing the ball out of the circle and then made a pass to one of my teammates. Coach just looked at me and said "See, I told you you could do that". It's one of those things I remember about coach because she doesn't have to just believe in her players to get them to perform at their highest level, she knows that her players are all talented and she just wants all of us to see that about ourselves as well. – Taryn Petrelli ’09, captain

Congratulations COACH! Thanks PLAYER! She always calls me player Haha. – Dana Heritage ‘10

I love how coach is so funny and relaxed during jv lax, but then field hockey season comes along and she gets her "game face" on. She knows when to be serious, when to push us, when we need pushing, and when we need the silly side to come out too!
- Logan Brown ‘11

Her dance moves (specifically the grocery cart move) are stellar.
– Maddie Kahn ‘11

I have to say that I love the tuck jumps to the scatman song in pre-game warm-up. When Coach leads them she is so psyched for us, it really gets me ready to play. – Emily Blair ‘12

I have to say that the first time we ever did Skat-Man with coach was a pretty unforgettable moment, that and her hillarious jokes back and forth with Mullery. – Liz Garry ‘12

One day at practice, the first save I made she screams "Nice job BECKY!" and said it again within the next two minutes. – Becca Shaw ‘12

Sometimes during pregame warm-up ill look over and see coach busting some dance moves to our mix. – Alyssa Crews ‘12

Meet the 2008 Captains

2008-09-04T10:32:00.000-04:00

Name: Taryn Petrelli #5
Class: Senior
Hometown: Harrison, NY
Position: Defense
Major: English/American Lit.

Name: Caitlin Pentifallo #44
Class: Senior
Hometown: River Edge, NJ
Position: Goalie
Major: Political Science

What have you been up to this summer?

Taryn: This summer i worked at Forbes Magazine in New York City.
Caitlin: I worked as a summer legal assistant at Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York City. I also had time to work at a field hockey camp with Coach and Heidi, that was my vacation from work. Lindsay and I also took an awesome trip to London and Paris in the beginning of the summer, where we had some chance reunions with Marnie and Sophie in Paris and had an amazing time.

What does Panther pride mean to you?

T: To me Panther Pride means keeping up the traditons and standards that have been set by the panther alums.
C: Panther pride can described by one of my favorite phrases from Coach: "It's a great day to be a panther." It's that feeling that you are representing Middlebury field hockey, not just the current team but the ones that have come before too. Midd FH is a storied program with a great tradition, being a part of it today is something that I take pride in.

What position do you play and why do you like it?

T: I play defense (mainly left back). The best part about it is shutting down the opponent's offense. It doesn't get much better than that.
C: I'm a goalie, and I love playing my position. I'm the last line of defense, and that carries a lot of responsibilities, but I love the pressure.

What are your goals for the season?

T: To enjoy every moment of my final year...
C: What comes to mind is "poke a tiger with a stick...", one of my favorite quotes up in the locker room right now. I want so many things for this team- namely that we grow as a team and improve every day and work towards our ultimate goals, which I feel superstitious about outlining here. I feel really confident in the talent and depth we have on the 2008 team, and if preseason is any indication I think that we have a lot to look forward to, not only in performance but off the field as well.

What is your favorite Midd field hockey moment?

T: The 2007 trip to the NCAA tournament....We might not have won in the finals but it is still the highlight of my career.
C: Any overtime game-winning celebration from last season- there is nothing like it. Tufts, Messiah, and Salisbury were unreal games with awesome endings, and those are the moments that are so memorable for me. Running up the field throwing my gloves and helmet and pretty much going wild with the team is just ridiculous, and I'll never forget that. In a couple of those games, Taryn and I were holding down the back end of the field and launched into our own private celebrations- if those are one film somewhere I would definitely love to see them.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

T: Not really...but dancing in the locker room tends to keep me relaxed.
C: I probably have too many. I like to do things in a certain order; I even put my pads on in a particular pattern. Warm-up is very important for me as I like doing things the same way as much as possible. Luckily, Heidi and Reid have become very good at this routine, it helps me get ready to play.

What is your favorite thing about our team?

T: The girls and coaches...obvi.
C: I love being a part of this team and it has been, hands down, my favorite thing about my college experience. There is so much commitment and dedication coming from every player and coach that makes every practice, game, and road trip so worthwhile. What I appreciate the most is the friendships that have come from playing on this team- you would be hard pressed to find a better group of people anywhere else. We have so much fun together and I can't imagine my life at Middlebury without them.

What is your favorite Middlebury spot on campus?

T: It was Proctor but construction has me searching for a new one.
C: Obvi, it's Peter Kohn Field.

What will you miss most about Midd?

T: My teams! I'll never be able to replace the experiences of playing and team bonding again and I know that's what I'll be missing most in the future...especially on Saturday mornings when I know everyone is getting ready for game time.
C: Everything. I love Middlebury and my classes and what I've done academically, but I know that I will miss playing field hockey the most. Being on a sports team is not something that can be easily recreated later in life, and I know that these four years playing Midd FH will be hard to live up to.

What is your favorite class you've taken at Midd?

T: Art and the Bible with Kit Wilson...love him.
C: That's a close call. American Presidency with Professor Dickinson is a favorite of mine, taking it last fall was especially interesting. I still get blogs and his commentary about the election in emails regularly, so having that perspective after having taken the class is helpful and insightful in an election year. I also loved my studio art classes, especially Painting. And of course, I am looking forward to writing my senior thesis.

2008 FIELD HOCKEY REUNION - 1998 10th Year Anniversay of NCAA Championship!

2008-08-13T11:44:00.000-04:00

Please join us homecoming weekend, October 17-19 for the 10th Anniversary of the 1998 Field Hockey NCAA Championship. The following events will take place:

Saturday, October 18:
11:00 - Field hockey game vs. Bates
1:30 - Tailgate @ Football game
Celebratory Happy Hour - TBD

Sunday, October 19:
Alumni Game - time TBD

If you have any pictures that you'd like to share for a slideshow that will be played, please email them to Heidi, hhoward@middlebury.edu or mail to: Middlebury College, Memorial Field House, Middlebury, VT 05753.

We hope to see you there!

NCAA FINAL FOUR

2007-11-13T12:59:00.000-05:00

Middlebury saw its hopes of a second NCAA field hockey title come to an end as they fell 4-3 to Bowdoin in the title game at Ursinus. The Panthers scored as many goals in the game as the Polar Bears had allowed all season. The national championship was the first-ever for Bowdoin College, as they finish the year with a perfect 20-0 mark. Middlebury ends the season at 17-5.

In the season's third meeting between the teams, it was Bowdoin who earned the first great chance of the game as a Polar Bear corner paid off just 3:25 into the contest. Kristen Veiga delivered a corner to the placement of Val Young. Julia King ripped a low shot that was deflected in front by Lindsay McNamara, who tipped it inside the left post to give Bowdoin a 1-0 lead.

A few minutes later, a Polar Bear turnover resulted in the first Middlebury penalty corner of the game. Lindsay McBride whistled a low shot that sailed wide left, keeping the game scoreless. Marnie Rowe earned another chance with 20 minutes remaining in the opening period, wristing a shot from the left wing that was kicked away by Bowdoin goalkeeper Emileigh Mercer. The Polar Bears replied with a great scoring opportunity minutes later, as Hillary Hoffman broke in all alone on Middlebury keeper Caitlin Pentifallo. Pentifallo's diving pad save kept it a one-goal deficit for the Panthers.

Middlebury was able to even the score after a scrum in front of the net with 13:56 remaining. Off of the Panther's fourth corner of the game, Heather McCormack's initial shot was blocked by Mercer, but McCormack's second chance was lifted over the diving Bowdoin goalkeeper and into the cage to deadlock the contest. The Panthers took the lead just seconds 1:41 later, as Rowe played a corner pass to the waiting stick of Lacey Farrell. Farrell placed it for McBride, who rifled a shot past Mercer to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead and put Bowdoin behind on the scoreboard for the first time all season.

Bowdoin replied with an offensive push, as an Ingrid Oelschlager run resulted in a foul from behind by Middlebury and a penalty shot for the Polar Bears. Lindsay McNamara buried the stroke inside the left post with just under 11 minutes left in the period.

With under a minute left in the half, Middlebury earned another penalty corner, but could not convert as the game entered intermission tied at two apiece.

Bowdoin regained the lead with 26:56 remaining as an entry pass from Kate Gormley found the leg pads of Pentifallo. The rebound came to the waiting stick of McNamara, who lofted the ball over the Panther keeper and into the cage for a 3-2 advantage. Middlebury answered with an offensive push, as Allison Grant took control of a loose ball in front. Mercer made a kick save to maintain the one-goal lead with 23 minutes to go.

Bowdoin increased their lead with 18:57 to go thanks to a strong individual effort from Oelschlager. The NESCAC Rookie of the Year charged into the circle, earning a rebound off Pentifallo. Oelschlager slapped home the loose ball to give the Polar Bears a 4-2 advantage.

Middlebury attempted to get back into the game off a penalty corner with under 14 minutes to go. A bouncing ball in the circle came to the stick of Reid Berrien, who buried her 22nd goal of the year to close the gap to a single tally, 4-3. The Panthers made a push and earned a penalty corner with under three minutes to go. But Kristen Veiga stepped in front for Bowdoin, breaking up the chance. That proved to be the final opportunity for the Panthers, who couldn't find the equalizer.

Despite allowing a season-high three goals, as many as they had allowed combined during the season, the Polar Bears prevailed thanks to five saves from Mercer. Pentifallo made four stops for Middlebury. McNamara set the record for goals in an NCAA Tournament (9), while tying the "Final Four" single-game mark with four on Saturday. The Polar Bears placed four on the All-Tournament team (McNamara, Mercer, Young and Oelschlager) while the Panthers had three (McCormack, Petrelli, and Entwistle). [Middlebury Athletics website]

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

2007-10-26T13:42:00.000-04:00

#20 – Katherine Entwisle '08, DEFENSE
History major from Lower Gwynedd, PA:
A four-year letterwinner - Katherine has shown she is a true competitor who loves the tough stuff. Her ability to get the ball and then handle it under any kind of pressure is critical to the success of our game and exciting to watch. A truly devoted teammate in all ways and a real tone setter from the first minute of our 2007 season.

1) To me, Panther Pride means carrying on the traditions that our alumni have created for us. A few examples of the traditions we carry on from year to year is walking out to the field before a game in two silent rows, going to Steve's Park Diner the morning after cuts are made, sprinting to the opposite sideline after the National Anthem is completed and running the Cooper Test on the first day of preseason. All of these things remind me of Middlebury Field Hockey, and I am proud to carry on the traditions.

2) I play right back and I like it because I can play both defense and offense. I love carrying the ball up the field and making connections with my teammates, and being on the right side allows me to work offensively. Playing defense is really gratifying; everyday I learn more and more about composure and patience...which are both necessary field hockey skills and life skills.

3) My most favorite Middlebury Field Hockey moment is when we beat Ursinus (the eventual NCAA champions) last year in overtime--we walked off the field completely drained and it felt so good.

4) I don't have many pregame rituals--I am not very superstitious, but I do try and drink a bottle of water before I head out to the field to make sure I am hydrated. Boring, I know.

5) My favorite thing about the team is the connections and friendships I have made over my four years here. It sounds corn-dog and I know that everyone says it, but it's true. I may not be best friends with some of my teammates and past teammates, but everyone is close to me in some way just because we experience so much together. I love spending time with the team on the field, and off. I have so many great memories with every field hockey team I have been on here.

6) My favorite Middlebury spot on campus would have to be either the turf field overlooking the mountains or at the top of the hill by Mead Chapel overlooking campus and the mountains in the background. Great views.

7) The thing I will miss most about Middlebury is seeing my closest friends every single day.

8) My favorite class that I have taken at Middlebury is probably America 1955-2000 with Travis Jacobs...great class & great professor.

9) My goals for the season are: to beat Bowdoin on our home turf, win NESCACs and to just play our game from here on out...I want Middlebury to dictate the pace of every game for the rest of the season so that our opponents walk off knowing that we wanted it more and that we were the better team. Simple and completely reachable.

TEAM PICTURES - WIKI

2007-10-25T15:36:00.001-04:00

AMAZING ALUMNAE

2007-10-18T15:15:00.001-04:00

My mom, Kully, scored the winning goal in the NCAA Championship game in 1998!

PANTHER: What do you miss most about being a Midd field hockey player?

"I miss my teammates and knowing that at 4:15 pm everyday you can go to
practice and compete and have fun with your best friends. I miss the
adrenaline of game day, the tailgates with parents and the team
celebrations that night!!" - Julia Bergofsky McPhee '02

PANTHER: What is one of your favorite Midd field hockey memories?

"My favorite memories are probably from my freshman year. I was so thrilled
to make the team and I remember the first game I ever played in. I was so
honored to be on the field and I didn't want to let my teammates or
coaches down. The most vivid memory is probably when we won the National
Championship....I will never forget the sound of Kully's corner shot
hitting the back of the goal and everyone going crazy. That bus ride home
and celebration that night was pure happiness!" - Julia

PANTHER: What is something you want the current players to know?

"Enjoy every minute of it! It goes by way too fast so cherish all the
opportunities you have." - Julia

Alums, we want to hear from you!

WELCOME!

2007-10-18T14:26:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the 2007 Middlebury Field Hockey Blog! Please contact Heidi (hhoward@middlebury.edu) if you have anything to add or share with the team, alums and past and present Midd fans!

Please check in regularly for updates to our Blog!

PLAYER'S GET PERSONAL

2007-10-17T16:12:00.000-04:00

Pictured: Dana, Mullery and Heather

1) Name a tradition that the team does:

"Walk out to the field in two silent lines, no matter how long it takes." - Lindsay McBride '09

"After each game we have a tailgate with all the fans that came to see us play that day. It's so fun eating great food and seeing all the friends and family that mean so much to us. Also, it's a great way to get to know our teammates' families."
- Marnie Rowe '08.5

"Start our warm up off with Crazy Train...so good" - Sarah Bryan '10

"Scat Man with Coach during warm-ups." - Dana Heritage '10

"We always say a key word on a game day that describes how we will play." - Heather McCormack '10

2) Something you want the alumni to know about yourself and/or the team:

"We have the best warm-up mix in the nescac." - Lindsay

"This season I just found out that apparently one of my legs is longer than the other." - Chase

"Caitlin and I take dressing up for Halloween very seriously. If you have any ideas, please send them our way." - Marnie

"I play quidditch at school (more specifically I'm actually a chaser, which is someone who tries to score by throwing a volleyball through a hola-hoop)" - Sarah

"We tend to sound like idiots by shortening words alot (obvi, perf, totes) and try to teach others (Dario)!" - Dana

"My name is Mullery, not Jane." - Jane Mullery Doar '10

"We LOVE to abbreviate words while speaking (ex. obvi, totes, slater)." - Heather

3) Favorite Midd Field Hockey moment:

"The clover and the party bus." - Lindsay McBride '09

"Meeting Peter Kohn." - Chase

"This may sound corny, but my favorite is walking onto our home turf before a game and seeing the gorgeous mountains and our amazing surroundings. It makes me realize how proud and lucky I am to be here at Middlebury and to be on this
team." - Marnie

"Besides the whole argentina trip -- getting tricked on our 'run' to chipman hill." -Sarah

"The clover and wickey." - Mullery

"Going to Steve's diner the day the team was announced." - Heather

PARENT'S PERSPECTIVE

2007-10-03T14:45:00.000-04:00

PANTHER: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE A MIDDLEBURY PARENT?

PARENT:
"I feel extremely fortunate that my daughter is able to be a part of such a wonderful college as Middlebury and that she has the good fortune to be a part of the field hockey program and get the opportunity to represent the college. As I went to a large state university I feel that Marnie's ability to go to a better and more intimate school is a source of pride andsatisfaction for me as a parent." - Matt Rowe (Parent of Marnie '08.5)

"It means my child has come a long way and is part of a truly elite institution. It is sort of humbling."
- Alexander Macmillan (Parent of Maddie '10)

"To be the parent of a Middlebury female athlete means PRIDE. We are proud of our daughter both on and off the playing field. The Middlebury female student-athletes are some of the most talented, poised, confident, and grounded females I have ever come across. Cheering for these girls is easy because they work hard, they hustle, and they never give up! That’s what athletics teach you…even in adversity, you keep working, you hold your chin up high, you do your best, and you leave it all on the field…that way you will never have any regrets. At this elite level of athletics, our Middlebury girls know how to do it right! They will benefit from the experiences and friendships they have forged through Middlebury athletics forever. From my point of view…it’s extremely easy to be a proud Panther parent!"
- Jodee Heritage (Parent of Dana '10)

"Being a Middlebury parent means being incredibly proud to have such talented children ---and for me—having both my children attend Middlebury is really special." - Caroline McBride (Parent to Lindsay '09)

PANTHER: WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING A MIDD FAN?

PARENT:
"I really enjoy sitting on the banking overlooking the field on a beautiful fall day surrounded by the mountains watching the game.I also have really enjoyed meeting the parents and forming new friendships based on our shared experience and ignoring socio- economic differences that may have otherwise caused us to never have crossed paths."
- Matt Rowe (Parent of Marnie '08.5)

"Seeing my kid play (a long way from squirt ice hockey and soccer), seeing a great group of girls coming together and giving their all, knowing my kid plays for great coaches (I feel so lucky that Maddie is under such good supervision,) being around really nice parents, feeling a part of a community, proud to be a part of a winning tradition – Go Midd!"
- Alexander Macmillan (Parent of Maddie '10)

"I love the camaraderie that develops each season among the girls and the parents."
- Caroline McBride (Parent to Lindsay '09)

PANTHER: WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT YOUR DAUGHTER TAKES AWAY FROM HER EXPERIENCE AS A MIDD PANTHER?

"I hope that Marnie can continue through her life to value the friendships she has made and that she will be able to continue to be able to balance the competitiveness that participating in a sport demands while maintaining the class and dignity of sportsmanship that is the core of Middlebury athletics." - Matt Rowe (Parent of Marnie '08.5)

"What it means to be a contributing part of a successful “enterprise”/organization/team. Learning what it takes to get there – hard work, talent, focus, etc. Kinship/comaraderie. Fun. Satisfaction. To see how far one can go, personally, and as part of a team. Learning leadership through coaches and teammates. Being that much more prepared to go out into society and make a contribution, make a mark, and have fun doing it. Handling setbacks constructively. Maintaining intensity. There is so much to be gained through sports under a great program!" - Alexander Macmillan (Parent of Maddie '10)

"Life is a journey—make the most of it always. Each experience is an opportunity for learning and growing. Lifelong friendships." - Caroline McBride (Parent to Lindsay '09)

CAPTAIN'S CORNER

2007-10-03T14:43:00.000-04:00

2007 Co-Captains Lacey Farrell '08 and Reid Berrien '08 share their insight:

PANTHER: What does it mean to you to be a Midd panther?

LACEY: "There are few greater things than putting on the Middlebury jersey. It is so great to play for a place that you truly believe in, one where you strive to do everything to defend and represent well. Ther pride and tradition infused into the program is contageous."

PANTHER: What do you love about being on the FH team?

REID: "The people. Everyday I show up for practice or a game I am instantly happy because of the people I'm surrounded by. No matter what has happened previously in the day I can let it all go as soon as I'm in the locker room, having fun with my teammates."

LACEY: "There is also something to be said about playing a sport in the fall. The setting unbelievable, with the incredible colors of the fall foliage and the unparalleled views of the mountains, it is so nice to be out on the field. Most importantly, however, what sets Middlebury field hockey apart from other field hockey teams is the people. I look forward to practice each day as a chance to catch up and hang out with my friends, while at the same time all working towards our common goals of success."

PANTHER: Greatest Midd field hockey moment?

LACEY: "Making the team! I seriously wonder how I made it freshman year. I showed up to preseason pretty clueless about field hockey with a really cool (at least I thought) wooden stick, which aparently was quite the source of entertainment. Three years later, I am still thankful for the moment when I read the email with my name on the roster. I have had so much fun playing on this team for this school, and I cannot imagine my college experience without field hockey."

REID: "Beating Ursinus last year in overtime...especially because they went on to be the National Champions."

PANTHER: Highlight of the season so far?

LACEY: "Argentina!! Dario, Dulce de Leche, and Ssseee you sssslater top my list of good memories for this year."

REID: "I'd probably have to say our Skidmore game. Coming off of our loss to Tufts we really needed to prove that we knew how to play well together. I really think in the Skidmore game we were able to come together and really play as a team, which we definitely knew we were capable of."

PANTHER: Goal(s) for the season?

LACEY: "Win a NESCAC Championship! My class has yet to be the best in the NESCAC, and this is our year. We are gunning for it!"

REID: "Winning NESCACS....we've come so close each year I've been on the team and it would be awesome to accomplish that this year...especially if on the way we beat Bowdoin!"

PANTHER: What is something you'd like the FH alums to know?

LACEY: "Thank you! The pride and tradition that I feel everytime I put on the jersey was not created overnight. Thank you for the integrity, character, and heart that you brought to the program, helping to lay the foundation of what I get to experience today. With out such a rich tradition, Middlebury field hockey would not be the same type of program or experience. Belonging to a group with such rich links to the past helps to motivate and drive what we do at practice and in games. Stay in touch, we love hearing about what you're doing!"

REID: "How much pride we take in knowing the traditions you have set for us. Whether it is running chipman or locker room dance parties we are always reminded of what came before us."