Scoring goals has never been Randi Dumont‘s first priority on the ice at Middlebury College.

When the senior from Greene does light the lamp for one of the perennial powers in NCAA Division III women’s hockey, though, that beacon usually represents her team soaring over the top.

Dumont demonstrated her flair for the dramatic once again on Jan. 16, making her first goal of the season an empty-netter with 13 seconds remaining in regulation to preserve a 2-2 tie with Amherst.

Middlebury has bestowed the 5-foot-2 Dumont with the ultimate sign of respect, naming her as the team’s sole captain this season. In addition to her goal, she has dished out five assists and maintained a feisty presence at the blue line, leading the Panthers with 26 penalty minutes.

In her career, Dumont has amassed 19 goals and 22 points for 41 points in 95 career games. The most significant statistic: During her time at the Vermont school, Middlebury is 78-11-8. The Panthers advanced to the Division III championship game in both Dumont’s freshman and sophomore years, winning in 2006.

The Panthers are 9-1-3 after Tuesday’s victory over the University of Massachusetts-Boston. Their only defeat was a 3-0 decision against Amherst.

Smooth start for Bump

Auburn’s Bump Heldman made his debut with the Bates College ski team Friday, finishing 11th out of 58 competitors in the men’s slalom portion of the weekend-long Bates Carnival at Sunday River.

Heldman, a former member of the U.S. Ski Team development squad and a graduate of Gould Academy, posted a combined time of 2:35.47 in his two runs.

The race is ideal preparation for the NCAA Championships, which Bates will host on the same mountain in March.

Two Carrabassett Valley Academy graduates set the pace for the Bobcats on the women’s side. Senior Liz Thompson of Rangeley tied for 21st. Freshman Kristin Waddle was 24th.

His best by a bunch

Thomas Esponnette of Auburn christened the new indoor surface at Bates’ Merrill Gymnasium by winning the mile last weekend in a triangular meet against MIT and Colby.

The sophomore and Edward Little High School graduate posted an impressive time of 4:24.35.

“Tom had a breakthrough race, improving his lifetime best in the mile by over eight seconds,” Bates coach Al Fereshetian said in a Bates release.

As a freshman, Esponnette was part of a 4×800 relay team that finished 11th at the indoor New Englands.

Career night

Two University of Maine at Farmington basketball players celebrated career milestones Friday in a doubleheader sweep of Johnson State.

Caitlyn Laflin became only the 14th UMF woman to hit the 1,000-point plateau, accomplishing the feat midway through her junior season. The Hall-Dale graduate hit the mark just over four minutes into the game, later finishing with 23 points in a 71-55 victory.

Ted Neil of Strong (Mt. Blue) tripled his season scoring average in the men’s contest, exploding for a career-high 25 points in the Beavers’ 71-58 triumph. Neil, a 6-foot-6 forward, drained four 3-pointers in the first half.

One day later, Neil followed that up with another career high with 26 points in UMF’s victory over Lyndon State.

He has started all 13 games for Farmington.

Another native of Strong, Mt. Abram product Brittany York, scored eight points for UMF in the women’s game.

Mountain men

Several local skiers starred last weekend in a two-day alpine event held Saturday at Titcomb Mountain in Farmington and New Hermon Mountain in the Bangor area.

Saturday’s event on the UMF hill saw Tyler Dorris of Auburn (Edward Little) top the college division of the men’s slalom field for the University of Maine club team. Jon Dennett of Winthrop took second for the hosts.

Turner’s tandem of Nathan Dumais and Kendall Ricker gave UMF a one-two sweep in Monday’s portion of the program.