After a tough overtime loss to Colby on Wednesday, the men's lacrosse team will have to claw its way toward a home conference playoff game. With two crucial games remaining, the Polar Bears will look to snap a four-game losing streak.
"We just need to begin playing with more confidence in ourselves as individuals and one another as teammates," said senior quad-captain Cullen Winkler. "Right now effort is definitely not an issue, but somewhere along the way we just can't turn desire into results."
The skid includes losses to NESCAC rivals Middlebury at home, and Williams on the road, as well as the shocking overtime loss at Colby. All of the games were extremely tight and in three of the four losses Bowdoin fell by only one goal.
"One-goal games are always difficult," said senior quad-captain Harry Ashforth. "There is always a fine line between winning and losing in the NESCAC."
Bowdoin (7-5, 4-3 NESCAC) lost at Colby on Wednesday, 9-8 in overtime. The Polar Bears trailed 7-5 heading into the fourth quarter, but notched three straight tallies to take the lead. However, Colby tied with under two minutes left in the game and scored just one minute into the overtime period to take the win.
Winkler said that suffering a loss after coming so close to a win is "really frustrating because everyone beats themselves up about their own individual mistakes that could have potentially led to that game-tying or game-winning goal. But it's important to remember that you win and lose as a team."
Rob Halliday '09 scored twice for the Polar Bears, as did his brother, sophomore Russ Halliday. Junior Adam Tracy and sophomore Kit Smith each notched a goal and an assist.
Last Saturday, Bowdoin fell at NESCAC rival Williams, 10-7. The Ephs' stingy defense stifled the Polar Bears and held Bowdoin scoreless for the first 28 minutes of the contest.
Near the start of the third quarter Bowdoin was down 8-3, but a four-goal run put the Polar Bears down by just one heading into the final frame. But the Ephs managed to hold Bowdoin scoreless in the fourth quarter, while adding two tallies of their own, to win the game. Ashforth and Winkler each notched two goals and an assist to lead the Polar Bears.
"If those one-goal games went the other way, we would be looking at a pretty successful season right now," Winkler said. "Unfortunately we've been on the losing side and can't seem to turn it around."
Tuesday, Bowdoin heads to Bates for a crucial NESCAC showdown. The Polar Bears will need to notch a win against the Bobcats (3-8, 1-6) if they are to hold on to the fourth spot in the league.
But every conference game is tough, especially on the road.
"We need to come together as a team at both ends of the field," Ashforth said. "We need to get our confidence back, and that starts with playing together as a single unit."
Next Friday night Bowdoin will host Tufts, currently second place in the conference.