Mandigo of Middlebury Earns 400th Career Victory

Courtesy Middlebury Athletic Communications

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Middlebury head coach Bill Mandigo won his 400th game as the Panthers (9-4-1) defeated Williams (5-7-2) for the second time in as many nights, this time by a score of 6-2 at the Kenyon Arena on Saturday. The 22-year head coach improves his career record to 400-102-21, with more wins than any other coach in the history of women’s collegiate ice hockey.

The Panthers outshot Williams 39-11 on the night, as they improve to 58-3-2 in their all-time series with the Ephs.

Williams took a 1-0 lead just 2:28 into the game when Eliza Foster scored on the power play. Middlebury tied the game up 3:35 into the second period when first-year player Lauren Greer (N. Hampton, N.H.) found the back of the net for her sixth of the year. Torrey Taussig drove from the goal line and stuffed home a shot on the short side to give the Ephs a 2-1 lead with a power play goal at 6:07 of the second period.

Middlebury answered with a pair of goals in 23 seconds to take a 3-2 lead. Rookie Heather Marrison (Brewster, N.Y.) scored the first of her career with a blast from the top of the zone at 10:42, before sophomore Grace Waters (Snyder, N.Y.) finished off a shot from Greer that hit the crossbar. The Panthers made it a 4-2 game after two, as sophomore Maggie Melberg (Woody Creek, Colo.) tipped in a shot from sophomore Maria Bourdeau (W. Hartford, Conn.) at the 14:02 mark.

Middlebury senior Ashley Bairos (Van Nuys, Calif.) scored in the third with 2:35 remaining, before Melberg added an empty-netter to make it a 6-2 final. Senior Lani Wright (Reading, Mass.) ended the night with nine saves to earn the win, while Sara Plunkett made 33 stops for the Ephs.

The previous night, Middlebury outshot Williams 47-17 on its way to a 4-2 NESCAC road win. Two first period goals by junior Anna McNally (St. Paul, Minn.), including one short handed gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead after one. Rookie Molly Downey (E. Sandwich, Mass.) scored her first of the season on the power play in the second period to make it a 3-1 game. Williams answered in the third before junior Nora Bergman (Concord, Mass.) sealed the game with an empty-netter late in the third. Junior Alexi Bloom (Highland Park, Ill.) made 15 saves in goal to earn the win.