The Bowdoin Field Hockey Team punched its ticket to the 2008 NCAA Final Four Tournament after two exciting victories over Stevens Institute of Technology and Middlebury last weekend. The team will look to defend its 2007 title at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania, this year's site of the final four.
"We entered [last] weekend with the goal of going 2-0, and it took a complete team effort to achieve this," tri-captain Kristen Veiga '09 said. "Our one-on-one defense was a huge part of our success this past weekend, from the forwards all the way down to the goalkeepers."
Middlebury tested Bowdoin early in Sunday's NCAA Regional Championship game as Polar Bear goalkeeper, Emileigh Mercer '09, was called upon to make five acrobatic saves in the first half.
Also early in the half, Kate Gormley '09 chased down a two-man Middlebury rush from midfield to extinguish a scoring opportunity and keep the game scoreless.
The confidence stemming from their solid play on defense helped Bowdoin to strike first. Gormley blasted a shot from the left of the net into a crowd of Middlebury defenders. The ball bounced off a stick and landed in the possession of Lindsay McNamara '09 for the turn-around shot to the opposite post at 15:23 in the first half.
However, the lead was short-lived as the Panthers were able to answer with a goal of their own just three minutes later, as Chase Delano converted on a pass from Dana Heritage.
With the Polar Bears determined to regain the lead before halftime, Madeleine McQueeney '09 gathered the rebound off a shot from Julia King '09 under heavy pressure from the Panthers, and stuffed it behind Middlebury goalie Caitlin Pentifallo with 6:36 remaining in the first half.
Another tally 20 minutes into the second half from McQueeney gave the Polar Bears the 3-1 advantage. Again, McQueeney found herself with the ball in a mass of defenders and was able to find open space on the goalmouth for her second score of the game.
The 3-1 win marks the third Bowdoin victory over Middlebury this season, and it earned the Polar Bears a spot in their fourth consecutive NCAA Final Four Tournament.
Prior to Sunday's game, the team played 70 hard minutes in last Saturday's match-up against the Stevens Institute of Technology Ducks.
The Ducks brought a 19-3 record and the Empire 8 conference title to Brunswick, Maine for their first ever NCAA tournament appearance.
"Going into the game against Stevens, we did not know what kind of team they would be but we knew what was at stake," McQueeney said. "They're a young program, and obviously very successful, but I think our experience and determination gave us the edge."
Resulting from a quick offense-to-defense transition, the Polar Bears were able to make their first dent in back of the SIT cage 15 minutes into the game.
McNamara fed a long ball to McQueeney charging up the field and Ingrid Oelschlager '11 was on the receiving end of the McQueeney pass for the redirect shot into the net.
Starting off the scoring in the second half, McNamara made her presence known with a spectacular between-the-legs midair deflection off a bullet sent by King at 18:08.
A heroic defensive play on the goal line by Kara Kelley '10 saved Bowdoin's two-goal advantage. The Ducks rang a hard shot off the post, which fell at the stick of a Stevens forward for a quick shot on the open net. However, Kelley was able to hold strong along the goal line and keep the net empty.
Katie Herter '12 scored the first goal of her college career at 25:48 of the second half. McQueeney sent a pass across the scoring circle to Herter positioned off to the left of the goalmouth for the shot past the SIT netmind er, Stephanie Smith.
The Polar Bears left Thursday morning for Ursinus, located in Collegeville, PA. Bowdoin will have to face the hometown favorite, the Ursinus Bears (19-2), Saturday afternoon in the semifinal game. With a victory, Bowdoin will have the opportunity to defend its national title on Saturday against the winner of the Tufts (18-1)-Messiah College (17-1) semifinal game.
"We are awfully pleased to be returning to the Final Four, it is truly a reflection of this team's ability and their dedication to the program," said Head Coach Nicky Pearson.