Middlebury's
Audrey Lazar scored both goals in a 2-0 shutout over Johns Hopkins, helping the Panther field hockey team secure their sixth-straight NCAA Championship and finish with a perfect 22-0 mark. The title is the eighth overall for the program and the 46th national crown for Middlebury Athletics. This was the third-consecutive year that the Blue Jays and Panthers met in the NCAA finale.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Middlebury wasted little time out of the gates, getting on the scoreboard with just 1:24 expired. Katie George carried the ball into the circle on the left and sent a pass to Lazar who was sprinting toward the cage on the right side. Lazar got her stick on the ball and flipped her shot on goal. Goalie Alexis Loder got a piece of the ball with her stick, but the ball ricocheted off the stick, hitting the left pipe and deflecting into the cage for the 1-0 edge.
- Johns Hopkins looked to knot the contest with 9:29 expired after a penalty corner from Siena Urbanski, but Liz Falterer's blast from the top of the circle whistled just wide of the left post.
- Lilly Branka nearly doubled the Panther lead with a point-blank attempt from the left pipe, but Loder was there to thwart the chance.
- Johns Hopkins had four penalty corners in the final 1:30 of the opening stanza, but the Middlebury defensive unit stood strong, hanging on to the 1-0 edge.
- The second quarter was a battle mostly played in the midfield, with no quality scoring chances from either team, as the Panthers headed into the break with the 1-0 lead.
- Middlebury made it 2-0 with 39:02 expired. Caroline Segal raced down the field and launched the ball into the circle. Loder and Lazar charged toward the ball, but it was Lazar who won the one-on-one battle, just getting a stick on the ball and sending it into the back of the cage for the two-goal advantage.
- The Panthers nearly extended their lead at the 46:15 mark. George maneuvered around a defender and broke away, but Loder came barreling out and sprawled to deny a shot on goal, as George's attempt sailed just wide.
- The Blue Jays had a pair of quality chances to spoil the shutout during the 46th minute. The initial shot by Megan Chang was kicked away by Middlebury goalie KK Newton. Emily Amsden was there to one-time the rebound, but Charlotte Marks blocked the attempt.
- Each team had several shots over the final minutes, but neither were able to score as the Panthers earned the 2-0 triumph.
NOTES
- Lazar was named the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, finishing the span with five total goals. George (3G, 1A), Katherine Lantzy and Marks were also named to the all-tournament team.
- Newton became just the third goalie to ever make it through the entire NCAA Tournament without conceding a goal, as the Panther recorded four shutouts with eight total saves, including five stops today.
- With one assist today, George tallied her 156th career point, capping her career in fifth on the all-time career list.
- This marked the fourth time in program history that Middlebury finished the year with an undefeated mark, also occurring in 1971, 1973 and 2021.
- The Panthers set a program mark for most shutouts in a season, tallying their 14th today. The previous record of 13 was set a year ago.
- The 107 goals this season tie a program record set last fall.
- The 22 wins tie the school record for most victories in a season, also achieved in 2021.
- Middlebury and Johns Hopkins have only met three times, with each coming in the last three national championship contests. The Panthers snapped the Blue Jays' 19-game winning streak today.
- With the victory, Middlebury now owns 57 wins in NCAA Tournament play, tying with Salisbury for the third-most in Division III history.
- The Panthers made their 20th national postseason appearance and played in the championship for the 12th time.
PRESS CONFERENCE
Middlebury ends the season riding a 31-game winning streak, while also triumphing 33-straight times away from Peter Kohn Field.
