MIDDLEBURY, VT. – The Wesleyan women's ice hockey team opened their weekend series with No. 3 Middlebury College on the road with a 2-1 overtime loss on Friday night, but it was Jenna Guglielmi '27 with a career night as the sophomore goaltender made 55 saves in net from Middlebury's Kenyon Arena.

It's been five years since a Cardinals (0-3-0 overall, 0-3-0 NESCAC) goaltender has recorded 50 saves in a single game. In the 2019 regular season finale against Amherst, Allegra Grant '20 clocked 52 saves in the 2-1 loss. Guglielmi, on 57 shots faced, came up with 55 saves, allowing only two goals against the top ranked Panthers (3-0-0 overall, 3-0-0 NESCAC).

Despite the strength of the Panthers' offense, the second period was the boiling point for both the Cardinals and the Panthers. The Cardinals struck first, taking an early but short-lived lead with help from Effie Tournas '25 at 5:12 of the middle period. With the Panthers pressing once again, Tournas pick-pocketed Olivia Gordan just above the right circle and beat Gordan to the exact spot in the Panters zone before landing a heavy wrist shot over the left shoulder of Sophia Merageas.

It took a little over five minutes for the Panthers to tie the game at the 10-minute mark. The Cardinals, unable to successfully clear the puck, were forced to close in on Guglielmibut Cece Zeigler's pass from out above rebounded inside the crease. Raia Schluter was able to score the second-chance goal off the rebound. Both teams entered the final period without a lead, the Panthers leading in shots on goal.

Down a player with five minutes remaining in regulation, the Cardinals were put to the test once again but were granted a moment of relief on a two-on-one short-handed breakaway attempt by Sam DeLeo '25. Snagging a loose puck at the blue line, DeLeo took off and made the sharp pass to Cameron Devenney '27 in front of the goal. Merageas made the save and sent everyone back to the Cardinals defense to finish the Panthers power play and send the game to overtime.

Guglielmi was rock solid to start the overtime period prior to the game-winning goal by the Panthers. At 2:57 Guglielmi stopped a breakaway attempt by Sabrina Kim and made another stoppage from the faceoff on Zeigler. Cat Appleyard collected Zeigler's rebound and closed the game.

The first period rolled scoreless but was largely dominated by the Panthers. Making 18 saves in the first 20 minutes alone, Guglielmi and the defense were forced into action immediately. An unrelenting Panthers attack was making the jump on most plays with an edge in won draws from the circle.

Caroline Kee led from the faceoff circle, completing 11 of the Cardinals' 24 draw wins.

Merageas finished the evening in goal for the Panthers with 14 saves on 15 shots faced.

The Cardinals return to action on Saturday, Nov. 23, when they face Middlebury again in the second game of the weekend series with puck drop at 3 p.m.