MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – The UW-Stevens Point women's hockey team completed its weekend against the top-two teams in the country at the Panther/Cardinal Classic by falling 3-1 to second-ranked Middlebury on Sunday afternoon at Kenyon Arena.
 
Box Score
 
Emily Lester (Eau Claire, WI/Memorial) scored the lone goal in the game for UW-Stevens Point (5-4-1), tying the game at 1-1 just 22 seconds after Jessica Young had given Middlebury (3-1-0) the lead. Lester's goal was her sixth of the season, tying her for the team lead, and came off an assist from Kat Nejedlo (Fond du Lac, WI/Fond du Lac).
 
The teams remained tied at 1-1 until 2:03 into the second period when Shanna Hickman gave the Panthers the lead again. Middlebury maintained a 2-1 lead until Maddie Winslow scored on the power play with 4:07 remaining in the game and the Pointers could not find a way back despite playing the final 1:51 with an empty net.
 
Winslow had a goal and two assists for the Panthers, while Young tallied a goal and an assist. Middlebury held a 29-21 advantage in shots on goal in the game.
 
Sydney Conley (South St. Paul, MN/South St. Paul) suffered her first loss of the season despite making 26 saves for UW-Stevens Point. Julia Neuburger kept out 20 shots for Middlebury to record the win.
 
The Pointers were 0-for-5 on the power play, while the Panthers were 1-for-7. The game was UW-Stevens Point's fourth against ranked teams in its first 10 games of the season.
 
UW-Stevens Point returns home to face UW-Eau Claire in conference play on Friday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. at Ice Hawks Arena. The Pointers and Blugolds will play in Eau Claire the following afternoon at 2 p.m.