NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - Middlesex opened their 2026 season on the road and fought hard before literally running out of time in an 8-7 non-league loss at Williston Northampton Saturday afternoon. 

Williston struck first on a free-position tally, but Middlesex responded quickly with two goals sparked by the junior trio of Thea Salem (Cambridge, Mass.), Ryan Pinney (Harvard, Mass.), and Addie Curry (Carlisle, Mass.).

Both teams added another before the end of the first quarter, with Cate Glass (Brookline, Mass.) finding the back of the net to give the Zebras a 3–2 edge after one. 

The second quarter swung momentum in Williston's favor as they scored twice while Middlesex was held scoreless. Despite the scoring drought, the Zebras' defensive unit of Sarah Voute (Harvard, Mass.), Lucy McGaraghan (Lexington, Mass.), Avery Swenson (Concord, Mass.), and Sarah Smith (Acton, Mass.) kept the game within reach through discipline and smart play. 

The Wildcats extended the lead to 6–4 by the end of the third quarter, and an early fourth-quarter goal pushed the margin to 7–4. Facing a three-goal deficit, Middlesex called a timeout and returned to the field with renewed urgency and grit. 

The Zebras surged late, and in the final seven minutes to close the gap to one. As time ticked down during the final Middlesex push, Williston held on for a narrow one-goal victory. 

Swenson was relentless on ground balls, while Salem, Glass, and Swenson combined for seven caused turnovers. Freshman Emma Voute (Harvard, Mass.)  joined her sister in the back field for her Middlesex varsity debut. In goal, Erin Larson (North Andover, Mass.) delivered a standout performance with 11 saves on 19 shots. 

The Zebras will look to reset and build on the positives from this hard-fought opener as they prepare for their next matchup at Dana Hall on Wednesday.