Courtesy Middlebury Athletic Communications

Box Score

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Top-seeded Middlebury topped Bowdoin 3-0 in a NESCAC Quarterfinal contest on Sunday, earning the Panthers right to host the semifinals and finals next weekend. The Panthers will meet Williams in the first semifinal on Saturday at 11:00, while Amherst meets Trinity in the other match-up at 1:30. The winners meet for the NESCAC Championship at noon on Sunday. Middlebury moves to 12-1-2 on the year, while Bowdoin ends its season with a 6-8 record.

Middlebury struck first at the 19:35 mark, as Tyler Macnee’s shot deflected off the post to Andrew Banadda, who buried the shot for his third goal of the season. Five minutes later, Bowdoin keeper Dan Hicks was injured and forced to leave the game, as Garrick Sheldon came on in relief.

The Panthers made it a 2-0 game at 29:43, as Robbie Redmond headed in a loose ball in the goal crease area, after a scramble in front of Sheldon. The tally was the first of his career for Redmond.

Middlebury kept up the offense pressure in the first half, scoring its third goal with 5:31 remaining. Michael Spiak saw his shot saved by Sheldon, as the rebound came to Brooks Farrar, who found the back of the net for the second time this season. The Panthers closed the first half with a 9-1 shots advantage.

Bowdoin turned up the offense in the second half, holding a 7-5 lead in shots, but were unable to find the back of the net. The Polar Bears had a pair of chances late, but Middlebury’s Jamie Wheeler, on in relief of Brian Bush, made a pair of impressive saves.

Bush ended the game with three saves, Wheeler had two, while Hicks stopped a shot for Bowdoin, with two saves from Sheldon.