Hamilton College's Rylie Mutton '23 was the overtime hero for the second time this season as the Continentals defeated NESCAC rival and nationally ranked No. 22 Middlebury College 3-2 at Hamilton's Love Field on Saturday. The riveting extra-time victory marks the Continentals' first triumph over the Panthers since their 2017 NESCAC championship quarterfinal.
 
Mutton won the match 1:49 into extra time following a strong bit of buildup play by the Continentals (4-0-1, 3-0-1 NESCAC). After chasing down a long cross from Dawson, Hyla Mosher '23 played a short pass from the right wing to Olivia Zubarik '25 who squared it perfectly to the trailing Mutton right outside the box. Mutton's first-time effort flew past Middlebury goalkeeper Sydney Poppinga's outstretched arms into the bottom-right corner, giving her team its fourth straight win. Mutton and Mosher are tied for the team lead with four goals apiece.
 
Caroline Dawson '23 opened the scoring for the Continentals in the eighth minute with a tremendous solo effort. After intercepting an errant pass in the middle of the field from Poppinga, Dawson drove past a defender into the box where she fired a shot home into the lower far left corner for her first goal this fall.
 
Hamilton's lead did not last long, however, as Middlebury's Simone Ameer put the Panthers back on level terms in the 21st minute with a wonderful long-range strike. Eliza Van Voorhis passed the ball to Ameer at the midfield line and she proceeded to carry the ball down the left wing. Ameer cut in past a defender and looped a 35-yard shot into the top-right corner past the leaping Hamilton goalkeeper Caity Smith '23.
 
Zubarik regained the lead for the Continentals with a great display of hustle and finesse in the 33^rd minute. Olivia Morrow '24 delivered a dangerous lobbed pass into the goal mouth that Zubarik ran onto before she poked the ball by Poppinga and tapped it into the empty net for her second goal.
 
After an evenly played second half, Middlebury (5-2-0, 1-2) leveled once again in the 81st minute when Ameer sent a long cross from the left wing into a crowded penalty area. Gretchen McGrath ran onto it and sent a shot into the right-hand corner with a deft first-time finish.
 
Smith had another strong effort in goal for the Continentals, tying a season high with nine saves.
 
Hamilton has a quick turnaround as the Continentals face another NESCAC foe in Connecticut College on Love Field on Sunday, Sept. 26 at 11 a.m.