The Bowdoin Field Hockey Team proved it is ready for another winning season after beginning this September with a 3-0 record.
The Bears won their season-opener on home turf against Wellesley College on Saturday in thrilling fashion as sophomore forward Lindsay McNamara scored the game's only goal in the second overtime to secure the 1-0 victory.
"We dominated the game and even though it took two overtimes to score, it showed the character of our team and we were able to learn from it," said senior goalkeeper Kate Leonard, who made a split save to keep the game at 0-0 before the overtimes.
The game was "exciting, but scary to watch, and we were all glad it ended in a Bowdoin win," said Hamilton field hockey coach and Bowdoin College alum Gillian McDonald '04.
Sunday proved to be equally fruitful for the Polar Bears as they beat Wheaton (MA) College 5-1. McNamara and Julia King '09 both scored two goals, and captain Burgess LePage '07 notched one. Hillary Hoffman '08, Katherine Gormley '09, and Meaghan McCullough '10 each tallied an assist.
"We have been successful on offense due to the team effort and contributions from many different people," said Hoffman. "It's reassuring to know that the depth is there, and it is a critical element of a strong team."
The two-game weekend gave the Polar Bears a chance to test their endurance.
"Doubleheader weekends are always a challenge. However, we have a couple of them this year, so it was a great way to prepare for and start our weekend," said senior defender Gail Winning. "We came out ready to go on this past Sunday, playing a smart game, and if we continue to improve on our endurance, Sunday games should be a strength for us."
But the week was not over for the Polar Bears, as they visited Bangor Wednesday night and beat Husson College 4-0. Bowdoin's defense played a big part in the Husson game, as Leonard faced a total of only two shots.
The Husson win was also notable for another reason.
"The win against Husson was a big deal for us because Coach [Nicky] Pearson tied Sally LaPoint's record for winningest coach in Bowdoin Field Hockey history. It is apparent that Nicky has a lot of respect for Coach LaPoint and we are all honored to be a part of such a successful and tradition rich program" said captain Susan Morris '07.
In addition to being proud of Pearson's success, team members are particularly pleased with the strong start, but are mindful that they can still improve.
"Kicking off the season with three wins has given us a great platform to build on by highlighting specific aspects of play we need to work on for continued success," said senior forward Sarah Horn.
After such a strong start, Pearson could not stress enough the importance of preparation as Bowdoin heads into its first NESCAC game against rival Colby College this Saturday.
"Having three non-league games has given us the opportunity to come together and not only execute game plans, but also focus on our communication on the field," she said. "Hopefully, this has prepared us well for the upcoming league game against Colby."