Courtesy Middlebury Sports Information<\/p>\n
MIDDLEBURY — Middlebury will make its 11th trip to the final four after a 4-1 victory over Kean (19-4) in an NCAA Regional Final on Kohn Field. The two-time defending champions will take on Salisbury in one semifinal on Saturday, November 23, while John Hopkins will face Franklin & Marshall. The winners will meet on Sunday for the national title. The second-ranked Panthers improve to 19-1 on the season with the win.<\/p>\n
Middlebury took just 41 seconds to get on the board as Katie George scored her team-leading 12th goal of the season, putting home a rebound after a shot from Julia Richards had been saved.<\/p>\n
Meg Fearey put the hosts up 2-0 with her fourth goal of the year, this one coming on a penalty corner. After a shot from Emma Johns had been saved, Fearey tucked home the rebound on the near post.<\/p>\n
The lead grew to 3-0 8:59 into the game when Marissa Baker scored from just inside the top of the circle with a high shot after a feed from Richards. The tally was Baker’s seventh of the season.<\/p>\n
Kean had a pair of penalty corners with 5:00 left in the period, but the Panther defense snuffed out the opportunities.<\/p>\n
The Cougars’ best chance to score in the opening half came 2:05 into the second quarter, but Melissa Way’s breakaway attempt was thwarted by Panther keeper Grace Harlan.<\/p>\n
George nearly increased the Middlebury lead early in the third quarter, but her shot hit the right post. On the ensuing penalty corner, Johns made it a 4-0, after a great series of passes resulting in an assist for Fearey. The goal at the 34:20 mark was the sixth of the season for Johns.<\/p>\n
Kean got on the board 4:21 later when Ja’Carra Jackson converted an aerial pass from Peyton Mann into the right side of the cage.<\/p>\n
Neither team scored in the fourth quarter as the Panthers came away with the win. Middlebury held a 17-4 shots advantage in the game and a 5-3 edge in penalty corners. Harlan finished the contest with two saves, while Belly Reynoso made nine stops for the guests.<\/p>\n
The victory was the 36th-straight win at home for the Panthers and the 10th-straight win in NCAA Tournament play.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Courtesy Middlebury Sports Information MIDDLEBURY — Middlebury will make its 11th trip to the final four after a 4-1 victory over Kean (19-4) in an NCAA Regional Final on Kohn Field. The two-time defending champions will take on Salisbury in one semifinal on Saturday, November 23, while John Hopkins will face Franklin & Marshall. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[280,279],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n