Leading 24-22 at intermission, Middlebury opened the second half with a 12-2 run against visiting Oberlin en route to a 56-44 win at Pepin Gym. In the first game after a three-week hiatus for both teams, the Panthers (3-4) started slowly, but found their shooting touch later in the first half, overcoming an early 9-2 deficit.
The Yeowomen (5-5) built their 9-2 advantage with seven points from Christina Marquette, capped by a three at 13:01 off an assist from Malisa Hoak. The slow-starting Panthers opened the game shooting 1-13 from the floor, but four made free throws kept the game close before Alexis Coolidge started a 10-2 run with a bucket at 9:27. Middlebury went 5-5 from the floor during that run, taking its first lead of the game at 14-13 on a Rachel Crews basket at 6:38.
It remained a one-possession advantage before Oberlin's Lillian Jahan converted a traditional three-point play, tying the game at 22-22 at the 1:55 mark. An Elizabeth Knox jumper broke the tie for the Panthers, ending the first half scoring for both team. Scarlett Kirk, making her first appearance for the basketball team after leading the soccer team to the NCAA Final Four, had an auspicious first half, garnering team-bests with eight points and six rebounds off the bench.
Leading 24-22 to start the second half, Laura Lowry chipped in 10 of her team-high 18 points in the decisive 12-2 run, building a 36-24 Panther lead at 14:35. After a Sarah Marcus lay-up opened the run, Lowry netted a pair of baskets and two three-pointers for the double-digit lead.
Oberlin managed to cut the Middlebury advantage to 40-33 on a Marquette lay-up at 10:34, but the lead bulged back to 14 points on an 8-1 Panther burst, capped by another Marcus basket as Middlebury kept their lead near double-digits down the stretch for the 56-44 victory.
Lowry finished with a team-best 18 points on 7-15 shooting, including 3-5 from behind the arc and eight rebounds. Kirk added 14 points on 5-9 shooting and seven rebounds in her return, while Marcus added six points, eight rebounds and a game-high six assists.
Marquette led all players with 20 points on 9-16 shooting and 12 rebounds as Jahan added 12 points and five rebounds for Oberlin.
Middlebury returns to action on Wednesday, hosting Smith College at 4:00 p.m. in a non-league contest, while Oberlin returns to NCAC conference action with a home game against Wooster on Friday.