Molly Wasserman deked a defender and broke in all alone before wristing a shot to the top corner of the net as Williams upset top-ranked Middlebury 2-1 in the NESCAC semifinals.
The Ephs will take on Bowdoin, a 5-1 winner over Colby, in Saturday’s NESCAC championship at 7:30.
The loss breaks Middlebury’s home winning streak of 85 games and is just the second to Williams in the 42 meetings between the schools. The Panthers are expected to gain an at-large bid to the inaugural NCAA Division III tournament when the pairings are announced Sunday night.
The first period saw both teams with few chances to score; shots were 4-4 in the scoreless period. The Panthers broke the tie midway through the second when Kristin Reid took advantage of a failed clear by the Ephs. Reid intercepted the puck and the blue line and skated in all alone for the power-play goal.
The Panthers dominated the remainder of the period, outshooting the Ephs 7-0 in the second session. Just 1:30 into the third period, Williams had its best chance to score on a shorthanded bid, but Meara Ryan’s shot on a breakaway was denied by Megan Hutchinson.
Williams continued the pressure with some good chances to score, but could not break the ice until the 11:46 mark, when Molly Wasserman scored a power-play goal on a rebound. The game remained tied until Wasserman’s game-winner with 2:10 remaining.
Hutchinson made 10 saves in goal for Middlebury, while Anna MacIntosh made 20 saves for Williams.
