HARTFORD, Conn. - Middlebury College will attempt to secure their fourth consecutive title as they host the 2003 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship this weekend in Middlebury, Vermont. The host school will take on Hamilton in the semifinals on Saturday, March 8th at 1:00 p.m., while Colby will take on Trinity at 4:00 p.m. The winners will meet on Sunday, March 9th at 1:00 p.m. for the NESCAC Championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Middlebury enters the weekend riding a 19-game (17-0-2) unbeaten streak, including 13 straight wins to start the second semester. The Panthers had little trouble with Tufts last weekend in the quarterfinals as Tim Schneider recorded a hat trick to lead Middlebury to a 7-1 win. Middlebury (20-3-2) will face fifth-seeded Hamilton (14-9-2) who upset Bowdoin 6-3 in the quarterfinal round. The Panthers defeated the Continentals on the road 7-4 on February 7th.

Senior co-captain forward Andrew Halder scored the game-winning goal 2:42 into overtime to lead Trinity to a 3-2 win over visiting Williams in the quarterfinal round of the NESCAC Men’s Ice Hockey Championship Tournament.  Eleventh-ranked Trinity (17-5-2) will meet tenth-ranked Colby (18-5-1) who used a six-goal first period to defeat Amherst 11-0. Colby topped the Bantams 3-1 in a February 1st meeting in Waterville, Maine.

2003 NESCAC MEN’S ICE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP
Quarterfinals - Saturday, March 1 at Higher Seeds
at No. 1 Middlebury 7, No. 8 Tufts 1
at No. 2 Trinity 3, No. 7 Williams 2 - OT
at No. 3 Colby 11, No. 6 Amherst 0
No. 5 Hamilton 6, at No. 4 Bowdoin 3

Semifinals - Saturday, March 8 at Middlebury
No. 5 Hamilton at No. 1 Middlebury - 1:00 p.m.
No. 3 Colby vs. No. 2 Trinity - 4:00 p.m.

Championship - Sunday, March 9 at Middlebury
Semifinal winners - 1:00 p.m.