MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – What a time to be a supporter of the Wesleyan field hockey team! Fresh off a thrilling 1-0 win at Williams, clinching the Little Three Championship just 24 hours prior, the No. 14 ranked Cardinals took on the seven-time defending NCAA National Champion Middlebury and defeated the No. 4 ranked Panthers on their home turf. Emily Smith '29 scored both goals, including the game-winner with 1:23 left in the second overtime, for a historic 2-1 Wesleyan win.
 
The triumph is a landmark achievement for the program as this win signals the highest-ranked opponent the Cardinals have ever beaten. In addition, the win marks the team's first-ever road win over Middlebury in 21 attempts as well as just the fourth time Wesleyan has beaten the Panthers and the first win since 2000.
 
Smith had the first quality chance of the contest with 6:22 expired in the first quarter as the first-year found space in the circle, but Panther goalie Izzy Redzic charged off her line and denied Smith with a pad save.
 
Middlebury broke the deadlock with 6:16 left in the second quarter as an initial shot from Tessa Herbst was saved on the post by defender Kiernan McColgan '26. The rebound bounced to the stick of Hadley Crowther, who tapped the ball inside the right side of the cage to make it 1-0 Panthers.
 
Coming out of halftime, Wesleyan took the game to the Panthers in the third quarter, outshooting Middlebury 5-1 and generating a 5-0 advantage in penalty corners. All that pressure paid off late on in the frame as Wesleyan drew three corners in a span of 16 seconds. On the third attempt, Teddy Tolbert '28 inserted to Sydney Cameron '26 at the top of the circle who passed off to Brooke Miner '28 on her right. Miner centered to Smith who redirected the ball into the left side of the cage to knot the score at 1-1.
 
The fourth quarter came and went with just one shot on-target between the two sides as Audrey Pace '26 made a save on Grace Keefe just under three minutes into the quarter.
 
In 42 all-time meetings, this marked just the third time a Wesleyan vs. Middlebury game needed overtime to decide a winner. In the first extra session, Wesleyan had the only penalty corner and saw Georgia Adams '26 land a shot on-frame that was dealt with by Redzic.
 
The second overtime period was back-and-forth throughout with Miner nearly netting the game-winner early in the frame. She rifled a blast that was destined for the far post but Redzic extended her right pad and made a quality save.
 
The Panthers then had a golden chance with 2:19 left on a breakaway. Emma McCann had just Pace to beat in goal but it was the Cardinals' senior goalkeeper who came far off her line, all the way out to the top of the circle, before going down to deflect away the ball to deny McCann.
 
Second later, the Cardinals transitioned the ball up the field. Natalie Shaw '28 posted up on the left side of the circle and worked around her on-ball defender before sending a pass back to Smith. With a clear run towards the center of the circle, Smith didn't hesitate and with Redzic coming off her line, Smith found a hole and pushed a shot past the Middlebury goalie with just 1:23 remaining for the 2-1 win.
 
The two goals for Smith are the first two goals of her collegiate career as the first-year has been a key contributor at midfield all season, ranking second on the team in shots.
 
Miner's assist on the first Smith goal is her team-leading fourth assist of the season. Shaw posted an assist on the game-winner which is her first point of the season and the second of her career.
 
Pace finished the contest with five saves including the massive stop on the McCann breakaway late in the second overtime.
 
After an 0-3 start to NESCAC play, the Cardinals (8-3, 4-3 NESCAC) have responded with a four-game win streak, having beaten three ranked teams (Amherst, Williams, and Middlebury) in the process. Next up is a spotlight showdown on Saturday against Bowdoin at Noon, as the Polar Bears (9-2, 5-2 NESCAC) are also riding a four-game win streak.