MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - Middlebury advanced to the NESCAC Championship with thier 20-9 win over Colby at Kohn Field this afternoon. The Panthers will take on Amherst tomorrow at 12:00.

Middlebury controlled the pace of the game early on as they jumped out to an 8-0 lead. Kristin Hanley scored three straight goals, while Nuala O'Donohoe and Julia Bergofsky each contributed two in the opening half. Colby got on the board at the 9:25 mark on a free position shot by Cara Dionisi. The Panthers talled three more before the half ended to take an 11-2 lead at the break. The White Mules opened the second half scoring at 27:22 as Kate Wheeler beat Middlebury netminder Sarah Grenert on a high shot. Colby held the Panthers to without a shot on goal for the first ten minutes of the half but Liv Wilson found the back of the net at 15:32 to give Middlebury a 12-3 lead. The White Mules stormed back, scoring four goals in 1:30 span to cut the lead to 12-7. Sarah Burlingham led the charge, scoring three straight goals. The Panthers countered with three tallies of their own to go ahead 15-7. Ally King gave Colby their eighth tally of the day but Hanley and Wilson scored ten seconds apart to give Middlebury a 17-8 lead. The Panthers scored three goals in the remaining two minutes to seal the 20-9 win. Hanley led Middlebury with six goals and two assists, while Bergofsky added four goals and one assist. Burlingham netted three goals for the White Mules, while Dionisi and Marcia Ingraham each scored two goals apiece.

In goal, Grenert and Johanna Rosenfield combined for 12 saves for the Panthers, while Anna Schierbel-Scherr and Mary Zito combined for 11 saves for Colby.

Colby (10-4) 2 7 - 9

Middlebury (13-0) 11 9 - 20

Middlebury scoring:

Kristin Hanley 6-2, Julia Bergofsky 4-1, Nuala O'Donohoe 3-0, Liv Wilson 3-0, Char Glessner 2-6, Dalton Cox 1-2, Sidney Atkins 1-0, Dana Chapin 0-1, Katie Simpson 0-1

Colby scoring: Sarah Burlingham 3-0, Marcia Ingraham 2-1, Cara Dionisi 2-0, Ally King 1-1, Kate Wheeler 1-0

Shots: Midd. 34, Colby 26