Down by three with 10 minutes left, the Bowdoin Football Team was poised for a comeback win over Amherst on Saturday, but it was not to be. The Polar Bears dropped to 0-2 to start the season after the tight 31-24 loss.
Quad-captain Gus Spaulding '09 praised the team for its resilient play and said the game "Was a good overall team effort?we just wish the outcome was different."
Just before the end of the third quarter of Saturday's game, the Polar Bears were down 24-7 and the game looked out of reach. However, with seconds left in the quarter, first year Ian Vieira returned a kickoff 62 yards to the Amherst 30-yard line to give Bowdoin some life.
"We fell behind 24-7," said Head Coach Dave Caputi, "but Ian Vieira's kickoff return really sparked us. Being able to play with that kind of emotion regularly is really important for us."
Less than a minute and a half after the inspiring kickoff return, Vieira received a swing pass from junior quarterback Oliver Kell for a 10-yard touchdown. The Bowdoin defensive unit held strong on the ensuing Amherst possession, forcing a crucial three-and-out. Taking a cue from the stalwart defense, the Polar Bears assembled a quick 51-yard drive in under a minute and hit pay dirt on a 35-yard pass from Kell to sophomore Kevin Raymond to put Bowdoin within three.
Amherst put the game essentially out of reach on the next possession, a ten play, 67-yard drive that took five minutes off the clock and put Amherst up 31-21. A late 31-yard field goal by senior Nolan McNair capped the scoring for Bowdoin.
However, the Bears seemed to have a chance at victory by forcing a second three-and-out for the Lord Jeffs, giving Bowdoin the ball deep in its own territory. While Kell drove the team half way down the field, helped in part by sophomore right tackle Chris Grillo's interception-saving reception, the Bears still came up short.
While the Polar Bears made it close, the team ultimately faced a second loss.
"Making the plays that win games is the challenge," Caputi said. "We put ourselves in the position to make those plays with confidence and maturity; we just have to get our guys in a slightly better position to capitalize."
Kell continued his fine performance as quarterback, finishing the game 20 for 37 with 202 yards, one interception and all three Bowdoin touchdowns. Junior linebacker Kevin Zikaris again led the Bowdoin defense with 14 tackles.
According to Caputi, this Saturday's game against Tufts will be similar to last week's against Amherst.
"[Tufts is] very much in the Amherst mold with a big, strong, physical offensive line who like to run the football," he said. "Tufts has an opportunistic passing attack and they are, defensively, a strong team that does a good job of stopping the run."
While Kell had three touchdown passes against Amherst, Caputi hopes to emphasize the running game this week in the team's match up against Tufts (2-0).
"[Last week] there was improved play defensively on the perimeter, thanks to our defensive backs, and our defensive end play has been very good," said Caputi. "We need to be a little bit more consistent in what we do defensively to stop the run, and we have to be a little more consistent in establishing our running game offensively."
Look for the Bowdoin defense to key on the tough Tufts running attack, and for the team to come out firing.
"Tufts is a team that typically relies on its running game," Spaulding said. "They have some big players and a good running back, so limiting that aspect of their game will be important. But as always, if we play with enthusiasm for the entire game, and not just in spurts, we have a good chance of winning."
Bowdoin plays at home against Tufts Saturday at 1 p.m.