A marathon three-overtime game that included two penalty shots in the same period and a record-setting performance highlighted the 2026 NESCAC Women's Ice Hockey Semifinals at Chip Kenyon '85 Arena at Middlebury College. The Colby Mules outlasted Middlebury in triple overtime, 2-1, and Natalie Stott's NCAA Division III record 83rd career win helped Amherst blank Williams, 3-0.
The Mules are making their second appearance in the NESCAC Championship game (last: 2008) while the Mammoths, the defending NESCAC Champs, are back in the final for the second year in a row and eighth time in 10 tournaments. In the regular season series on February 6-7 at Amherst, Colby won the opening game 2-0 and the teams skated to a 1-1 tie in the second game with Colby winning the shootout, 1-0. Amherst is 6-2 against Colby in the NESCAC Tournament. The teams last met in the 2022 semifinals which resulted in a 2-1 overtime victory for the Mammoths.
TICKETS
Tickets for the semifinal games are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for students/children 3 and older, and children under 3 are free. Tickets for the championship game will be available at the athletics box office in the front lobby of the Peterson Family Athletics Complex starting at 1:00 p.m. when doors open. The game is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m.
HOW TO WATCH
A live webcast will be available at NESCAC.com on computers and mobile devices. The webcast can also be seen on Roku, AppleTV, and Amazon Fire devices. Search for NESCAC Network and download the channel. Click here for more information.
CHAMPIONSHIP GEAR
NESCAC Women's Ice Hockey Championship merchandise is available now on SquadLocker. NESCAC Championship gear can be personalized with a name or number and shipped directly to your home. Click the Shop Now button below.
No. 4 Colby def. No. 1 Middlebury, 2-1 (3OT) | Box Score
Emily Olsthoorn scored 15:37 into the third overtime period, lifting Colby to a 2-1 victory over Middlebury in a marathon contest that stretched nearly two hours of game time beyond regulation.
Olsthoorn tipped in her 10th goal of the season off assists by Lizzy Hamel and Molly Lefebvre to end the epic six-period affair and send the Mules (18-6-1) past the Panthers (17-5-4).
Middlebury’s Olivia Gordon scored just 18 seconds into a Colby power play at 7:38 of the first period, burying a shot assisted by Kate Flynn and Susannah Ward for her sixth goal of the season.
Colby tied it in dramatic fashion 2:45 into the second period when Hamel converted a penalty shot against Middlebury goaltender Sophia Will, the result of a delay of game infraction, for her third tally of the year. Colby was awarded a second penalty shot later in the period, but Olsthoorn's attempt was stopped by Will, keeping the score level at 1-1 through regulation and two full overtime periods.
Will made a career-high 61 saves on 63 shots across six periods of play. Colby netminder Ally Martiniello stopped 47 of 48 shots she faced in the victory.
No. 2 Amherst def. No. 3 Williams, 3-0 | Box Score
Natalie Fu broke a scoreless tie in the second period, and Amherst pulled away with two third-period goals to defeat Williams 3-0.
Fu scored the game-winner 7:07 into the second period, taking a feed from Annabel Raffin and Sami Lester for her fifth goal of the season. The strike came after Amherst had weathered a first-period power play by Williams.
Emily Hohmann doubled the Mammoths' lead 8:46 into the third period, burying her third tally of the season on assists from Maeve Reynolds and Cara Mancini. Williams pulled goaltender Erin Pye late in search of a goal, but Bea Flynn converted an empty net tally with 29 seconds remaining to seal the 3-0 final.
Amherst goaltender Natalie Stott was flawless, turning away all 26 shots she faced for her NCAA Division III leading 10th shutout of the season. Stott also became the all-time goaltender wins leader in Division III history with her 83rd career victory. Pye made 39 saves in a losing effort, keeping Williams within striking distance for much of the contest.
