Middlebury Wins 2004 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Title

Courtesy Middlebury Athletic Communications

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Middlebury College women’s lacrosse team won its fifth (’97, ’99, ’01, ’02) NCAA Championship with a 13-11 overtime victory over the College of New Jersey at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y. The Panthers end the season at 19-0, a school-record for wins along with a fourth perfect season. Middlebury is now 70-1 over the past four seasons and 131-7 over the past eight. The national title is the 22nd for Middlebury College since ’95 and the fifth this school year.

This title wouldn’t come easy as Middlebury and TCNJ would battle through overtime before the Panthers emerged with the 13-11 win. Middlebury earned the win despite leading-scorer Nuala O’Donohoe receiving two yellow cards (for stick infractions) in the game, forcing a red card and her ineligibility to play the final 29:23 of the contest. TCNJ led 2-1 before O’Donohoe tied the game at the 19:29 mark of the first half. The Lions regained the lead before a pair of goals from Michele Bergofsky and O’Donohoe gave Middlebury a 4-3 lead. TCNJ scored four of the game’s next five goals to take a 7-5 lead with 3:13 left in the second half. Schuyler Winstead found the back of net for the Panthers with 38 seconds left in the game to cut the lead to 7-6 at the half.

The second half stayed tight, with the Lions scoring two in 31 seconds to take a 10-8 lead with 12:21 remaining in the game. Middlebury then took over play for a spurt, scoring three straight goals to take an 11-10 lead. Elizabeth Renehan scored the first on a free position, followed by goals from Liza Humes at 5:46 and Caitlin McCormick at 2:47 to give the Panthers a one-goal lead. TCNJ came right back and tied the game with just one minute left, forcing it into overtime.

Two three-minute overtime periods were played, with Middlebury scoring with 1:37 left in the first overtime to take a 12-11 lead on a goal from Bergofsky. Channing Weymouth sealed the game as time was expiring to give Middlebury the 13-11 win.

Renehan led the Panthers with three goals on the day, while O’Donohoe, Bergofsky and Weymouth had two apiece. Winstead dished out three assists in the game, while Claire Edelen had two. Sarah Grenert was solid in net once again, earning the win with seven saves on the day. Middlebury native Becca Brakeley was named the champion game’s most valuable player.