MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Top-seed and undefeated Middlebury built an early lead and despite a gutty performance, the fourth-seed Wesleyan women's lacrosse team was handed a 16-6 loss in the NESCAC Semifinals. The Cardinals (13-4) now await word on an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament, which will be announced on the selection show on Monday at 10:30 AM.
 
Olivia Lai '23 gave the visitors reason to celebrate as she scored the game's first goal 3:48 into play, but Middlebury scored six unanswered including five in the final 4:40 of the first to go ahead 6-1. Lai scored again midway through the second quarter to lower the deficit to five but the Panthers again had a big run to end a quarter, scoring four straight to lead 11-2 at the half.
 
Wesleyan certainly had their chances in the second, outshooting Middlebury 10-7 in the frame and only committing two turnovers but Middlebury's goalkeeper Gina Driscoll proved critically important, making eight of her 12 saves in the second quarter alone to hold the Wesleyan attack off and help the Panthers build a big advantage.
 
Middlebury added three more in the third quarter before Wesleyan scored three in the fourth before the clock ran out on a 16-6 Panther victory.
 
Despite the lobsided score, Middlebury only outshot the Cardinals 28-23 as the difference came in the cage where the Panthers made 12 saves compared to just six for Wesleyan.
 
The 2022 NESCAC Rookie of the Year Lai finished with a hat trick, her 14^th of the season, to lead the Wesleyan offense. Kendall Mittleman '23 tallied three assists to bring up her team-leading total to 35 on the season. Gil Horst led the team with four draw controls.
 
Wesleyan hopes for some good news on Monday morning as the Cardinals seed a fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament, all of which have come since 2017.