MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – The No. 1 nationally ranked Middlebury field hockey team remained especially tough to beat at home, shutting out the Bates field hockey team 4-0 Saturday afternoon in NESCAC action. 

The Panthers (11-0, 6-0 NESCAC) have won 42 consecutive contests on Kohn Field, while pushing their overall winning streak to 19 victories in a row.

The Panthers accounted for the only goal of the opening 15 minutes of the contest, as Erin Nicholas put the hosts on the scoreboard. She carried the ball up the left side, cut to the front of the net, before sending a low shot into the corner of the cage with 3:12 on the clock.

Midway through the second quarter, Nicholas made it 2-0, cutting to the middle and netting her 50th career tally. Caroline Segal bumped the difference to 3-0 for the Panthers, knocking in a pass from Amy Griffin. Middlebury goalie Grace Harlan made a clutch save in the closing minutes of the half, denying sophomore Kami Lambert (Augusta, Maine) from point-blank range.

The teams battled through a scoreless third frame, but the hosts nearly added to their lead in the final minute. Off of a penalty corner, Sadie LeStage inserted the ball and stepped to the left post, took a return pass from Isabel Chandler and was able to get off a pair of shots that Bobcat goalie junior captain Grace Biddle (State College, Pa.) denied.

The Panthers closed out the scoring with 3:23 remaining in the game. LeStage again inserted the ball on a corner, but this time she redirected Joan Vera's shot from the top of the arc into the cage for her third goal of the season.

Harlan made one save for her third shutout of the season, while Biddle finished with eight stops for Bates.

Middlebury held a big 19-1 advantage in shots and took all 10 of the game's penalty corners.

Bates is back in action Sunday when the Bobcats visit No. 8 Amherst for a 12pm start.