Lake Forest College freshman forward Amy Budde tied the game at one early in the second period but Middlebury struck in the third to defeat the visiting Foresters 2-1 Tuesday evening. Both teams are ranked among the top 10 in the nation.
Budde and senior forward Michelle Greeneway battled a pair of Middlebury players for the puck along the right boards in the offensive zone. Budde came out with possession, skated to the middle of the ice, and sent the puck past the goaltender and into the left side of the goal for her fourth score of the season. Greeneway was credited with her 42nd career assist, tying her with Kim Herring (2008-12) for ninth place in program history.
Middlebury had taken the early lead with a power play goal at the 10:46 mark of the opening period. The Panthers netted the game-winner at 7:57 in the third period.
Both teams put 10 shots on goal in the game's first 20 minutes and the home team had a 9-6 advantage in that category in the second period. Thanks in part to three penalties, including two just 66 seconds apart, the Foresters were out-shot 15-5 in the third. Five saves by senior goaltender Allie Carter during Middlebury's five-on-three advantage helped kill the penalty and keep the visitors in the game.
Carter finished the contest with a season-high 32 saves in her first loss of the year. She still ranks fourth in the country with a .960 save percentage this season.
The loss was the first of the year for the Foresters, who entered the week ranked third in the nation. They are now 10-1-1. Middlebury, the eighth-ranked team in the country, improved to 5-2-1.
Lake Forest will finish its trip to Vermont with a game at St. Michael's College Wednesday night at 7:00 (EST).
