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TROY, N.Y. - Middlebury College scored two goals in a four minute span early in the second half and the fifth-ranked Panthers defeated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 2-0, in a non-league field hockey contest at Harkness Field. Middlebury improves to 10-3, while the Engineers fall to 7-7.

The Panthers needed just 1:02 of the second half to break the scoreless tie. Julia Richards (Newtown Square, PA / Westtown School) carried the ball into the circle and sent a backhanded shot toward the goal. The ball was deflected to Kelly Coyle (Cranbury, NJ / Peddie School), who pushed it into the cage for her first career goal.
 
Lauren Schweppe (Chester Springs, PA / Owen J. Roberts) nearly made it 2-0 just moments later when she drilled a shot on goal but Rensselaer goalkeeper Rachel Kaufman (Morristown, NJ / Morristown) kicked it aside. Tthe Panthers maintained pressure and ended up with a penalty corner that led to a defensive save by Mac Reininger (Orlando, FL / Colorado Academy). The rebound was loose in the circle and eventually covered illegally in the crease, leading to a penalty stroke. Junior Annie Leonard (Darien, CT / Greenwich Academy), Middlebury's leading scorer, converted the attempt, shooting into the upper right corner of the goal with 29:12 left in the second half. The goal was her 18th of the year. 

The Engineers generated offensive chances, but could not get a goal. A key chance came with three minutes remaining when a Mikaela DiBello (Mahopac, NY / Mahopac) feed to the front of the net was knocked away by a hustling Audrey Quirk (Portland, OR / The Taft School). 

Neither team found the back of the cage in an evenly-played first half. The best scoring chance for the Panthers came from sophomore Grace Jennings (Ghent, NY / Hotchkiss), who had a shot from seven yards in front of the cage but was stopped by Kaufman. The Engineers had opportunities of their own, including a near-miss on a deflection by a cutting DiBello and a shot by Megan Jones (Stevensville, MD / Kent Island) that forced Middlebury's Emily Miller (Winston-Salem, NC / Mt. Tabor) to make a lunging save to her left.

Miller finished with one save in the first half and two in the game, while Kaufman had five total saves.

The Panthers held a 15-5 edge in shots and a 7-1 advantage in penalty corners.

Rensselaer returns to Liberty League play in its next game, Saturday against Vassar College at 2pm in Troy. Middlebury is back on the field on Saturday at 11am against NESCAC foe Bates College.