Box Score
Recap courtesy of Middlebury College
MIDDLEBURY, VT – Middlebury will makes its fifth NESCAC Championship game appearance after a 2-1 win over Tufts (9-7) on Dragone Field. The 13th-ranked Panthers (12-1-3) will take on the winner of the Williams/Trinity game played later today in the title game on Sunday at noon. Middlebury extends its unbeaten streak to 15 games after an opening day loss at Amherst.
Tufts' best chance to score came just three minutes into the game with the ball on the foot of Robin Estus. With two Panthers down with injuries, Estus blasted a high shot from the 18 that was just tipped over the crossbar by Middlebury keeper Elizabeth Foody.
Middlebury took a 1-0 lead at the 34:09 mark with the second of the season from Sarah Noble. Julia Favorito struck a beautiful crossing ball on a restart from the right side, with Noble heading the pass into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead. The assist was the NESCAC-leading seventh of the season for Favorito.
Tufts battled back to tie the game with just 1:28 left in the first half. Allie Weiller played a through ball ahead to Caitlin Brandman, who quickly one-touched a ball to herself. Gaining some space, Brandman ripped a shot into the bottom right corner of the net from 15 yards out for her second of the season, tying the game at 1-1.
Middlebury threatened early in the second half, with a corner kick by Moria Sloan just two minutes in. The ball was skipped by Molly Parizeau before Tufts' keeper Kristin Wright (four saves) knocked the ball away. Four minutes later, Parizeau had a good look, as her shot from close range hit a defender.
The game-winner came at the 55:28 mark after some nice individual work from Scarlett Kirk. After beating a pair of defenders in the middle, Kirk was challenged by Wright before letting a shot go from 17 yards out. The ball hit the right post and bounced to Jamie Soroka, who knocked it in for her fourth of the year.
Neither team would have any great chances to score throughout the remainder of the game, as Middlebury advanced to the finals. The Panthers held a 14-8 shots advantage in the game, with FFoody finishing with three saves to earn the win.
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