Middlebury, Vt. - Laura Lowry's career-high 25 points propelled the Middlebury College Panthers past the visiting Trinity College Bantams, 71-61, in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)  women's basketball action this evening at Pepin Gymnasium.  Trinity falls to 13-9 overall and 4-5 in the NESCAC with its fourth consecutive loss, and the Panthers (13-10, 4-5) up a notch in the very crowded NESCAC standings at 13-10 overall and 4-5 in the league with one game to play for both squads.  Middlebury held a decisive edge at the charity stripe, making 27-36 tosses, while the Bantams knocked down 16-20 free throws for the game. Both teams finish their regular season on Wednesday, February 13, as Trinity travels to Williams, who upset previously unbeaten Amherst, while the Panthers host the aforementioned Jeffs in Pepin Gym at 7:00 p.m.

Neither team led by more than three in the first half until a pair of free throws from Middlebury's Tracy Borsinger put the Panthers on top 29-25 with 5:15 remaining. Lowry hit a jumper on the team's next possession to give Middlebury its largest lead of the half at 31-25 at the 4:52 mark. The Bantams came within one twice, including a three-point play from sophomore forward Taylor Higgins (Merrick, N.Y.) late in the half to make it a 38-37 game at the intermission. Lowry had 14 first half points for Middlebury, Katie Pett scored nine with seven rebounds, while Jesse Miller grabbed eight boards. Sophomore forward Hannah Brickley (Melrose, Mass.) led the Bantams with 10 points in the first 20 minutes. Trinity actually held a free throw advantage in the first half, hitting 11-13 to Middlebury's 8-11.

The Panthers opened a 10-point lead in the second half, using 10-0 run after the Bantams tied the game at 41 apiece on a Shantel Hanniford (Nantucket, Mass.) jumper at 18:59. Scarlett Kirk and Lowry each added five points during the run. The Panther lead hovered around 10 points for the next 11 minutes before Trinity put a 5-0 spurt together, cutting the deficit to 64-59 with 8:04 left to play. Lowry made her final points on a jumper at 6:39, giving Middlebury a 68-60 lead.

Trinity cut the deficit to six twice in the next two minutes, but could not get closer as the Panthers built their lead back to double-figures on a Pett lay-up at 2:40. Trailing 78-66, the Bantams had a final spark when rookie guard Christina Raiti (Plainview, N.Y.) hit a three with :53 on the clock, followed by a pair of free throws by junior guard Moriah Sweeney (Ramsey, N.J.) with 46 seconds to play. Those were the final points for Trinity as Middlebury made three more free throws in the final minute for the 81-71 victory.

Lowry's career-best 25 points came on 7-14 shooting, including 3-6 from downtown and 8-9 from the line. Borsinger and Pett each added 16, while Kirk netted 15 for Middlebury. Miller had a great day under the boards, collecting a game-high 13 rebounds as the Panther out-rebounded the Bantams 39-29 on the day.  Junior forward Taylor Murtaugh's (New York, N.Y.) 7-11 shooting paced Trinity, finishing with 14 points, while Hanniford notched a dozen. Brickley and first-year center Mackenzie Griffin (Stamford, Conn.) each nabbed a team-best eight caroms.

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