WORCESTER – The Middlebury College women's basketball team received a game-high 18 points from Betsy Knox (Bethesda, MD) as the Panthers defeated WPI 67-50 in non-conference action this evening. 

With the victory, Middlebury improves to 12-3 on the season, while the Engineers slip to 10-5 with the loss. 

Knox connected on 8-of-17 from the floor and added seven rebounds and three assists, while Kamryn You Mak (San Francisco, CA) and Lily Kuntz (Villanova, PA) finished with 12 points apiece. 

Alana Keating (Leominster, MA) was the lone Engineer in double figures with a team-best 16 points and two rebounds.  Maddie Blake (Bedford, NH) just missed a double double with nine points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals. 

Middlebury took an early lead, but WPI closed the gap to one, 10-9, on a jumper by Keating with 5:27 on the clock.  Middlebury used and 11-2 run fueled by eight points from Knox over the next three minutes to take a 21-11 lead with just over a minute remaining in the first. 

Keating broke WPI's 3:58 scoring draught with two free throws in the final seconds of the first to cut the gap to 21-13 after one. 

Middlebury scored five straight to start the second and lead 26-13, but the Engineers rattled off a 7-2 spurt capped by a three from Blake cutting the deficit to eight (28-20). 

Middlebury quickly pushed the lead back to 13 on a Reagan McDonald (Holden, MA) three with just over three on the clock. WPI cut the lead back to seven on a Blake layup, but Knox bucket sent the Panthers to the locker room leading 37-28. 

The Panthers maintained the lead throughout the third quarter, leading by as many as 13 before heading to the final quarter leading 47-35. 

WPI pulled within eight, 55-47, on a Blake jumper midway through the fourth, but six straight by the Panthers pushed the lead back to 61-47 with 3:20 on the clock.

A three by Melanie Presseau (Machester, NH) with 2:44 on the clock pulled WPI back within 11, but WPI was forced to foul down the stretch and the Panthers connected on six free throws while holding the Engineers scoreless to secure the victory.

WPI is off until Wednesday, January 22nd when it opens up NEWMAC action by hosting Clark at 7pm.  Middlebury heads to Maine this weekend for the middle contests of a four-game road trip.  The Panthers are at Colby on Friday and No. 2 Bowdoin on Saturday.