Battling two NESCAC opponents this week, the women's soccer team displayed definitive style defeating Bates 2-0 on Wednesday, as well as in a 3-3 tie with Amherst earlier in the week.
Wednesday brought clouds and a slight rain to Pickard field but did not damper the Lady Polar Bears as they handed the Bobcats their fourth consecutive loss. The game opened with a slight scare as Bates forward Sam Alper broke loose and hit a shot that flew just wide of the net. The Bowdoin women retaliated, fortified the defense and maneuvered the rest of the half easily through the midfield with 1-2 passes and crisp movement.
The Bobcat fullbacks found themselves hustling toward their own goal throughout the half as well-placed through balls played by the Bowdoin midfield split the defense repeatedly. Several notable opportunities were created. With just under 30 minutes remaining in the half, Alex Von Gerichten '09 served a ball into the box to first year Ellery Gould, whose one-time flick toward the upper left corner, after being batted slightly by the Bates keeper, sailed just high of the crossbar.
After the Alper breakaway, the next closest opportunity for Bates came in the closing two minutes of the first half when the Bobcats were awarded a free kick from around 20 yards out. The ball, however, was a direct shot to keeper Kelly Thomas '09, who handled it easily. The rest of the half was hard fought and as the clock ran out, the game was locked 0-0.
The second half proved fruitful for the Polar Bears. Twenty minutes in, Gould ripped a shot from the top of the goal box that slipped just under the cross bar on an assist by Aceto.
"We are doing a great job switching the point of attack and possessing the ball," Rebecca Silva '11 said.
Gould struck again in the final five minutes as she managed to control a loose ball in Bobcat territory that she lofted past the keeper and just inside of the left post. It was Gould's fifth goal of the season and she currently leads the team in goals scored.
Saturday brought a host of highs and lows that ended in a 3-3 deadlock with Amherst.
The Bowdoin women started strong, jumping to a 2-0 lead early in the first half. The first goal was scored by Silva who converted off a beautiful through ball delivered by Kit Hamley '10. Hamley proved effective again by finding Gould, who handled two defenders before finding the corner of the goal. The lead was short-lived, however, when Amherst scored twice within the last 20 minutes of the half. The second half began with the score tied at 2-2.
"We have moments of greatness followed by complete lapses," Silva said.
The second opened with the Lord Jeffs scoring within the first minute but Gould was able to bring back the Bears in the final 15 minutes by knocking one into the net from inside the box. The game entered overtime but neither team was able to break the 3-3 score. The tie is Bowdoin's third of the season, matching the school's all-time record.
The Bowdoin women now look to Saturday's game against the Middlebury Panthers at Pickard Field at 11:30 a.m.