The pressure is on for the Bowdoin College men's golf team if it wants the season to continue into the spring.
Tomorrow the Polar Bears will compete against a strong field in the NESCAC Qualifier Tournament.
After finishing one spot out of the qualifying field last season, the Polar Bears are hungrier than ever and looking to improve to a top four finish.
Last season, Jeff Cutter '09 led the team with an individual finish of 5th place, carding 78 and 72. If the Polar Bears want to have any chance of achieving their goal, Cutter's shoes must be filled.
The men's golf team tried to hit its stride last weekend, coming into the biggest tournament of the year.
However, because of inconsistent rounds from multiple players, the Polar Bears failed to meet their own expectations and placed No. 3 at the Maine State Golf Tournament.
With solid showings from junior Max Bridges and senior Ryan Blossom, the rest of the starters slumped with higher scores than expected. Bowdoin was No. 3 overall at Natanis Golf Club in Vassalboro, Maine with an aggregate score of 659.
The Husson College team ran away with the tournament title, remaining unbeaten on their season by carding a two-day aggregate score of 619.
In addition, the men's team competed this past Monday as USM hosted its tournament in Portland, Maine at Sable Oaks Golf Course. Bowdoin finished 7th out of a field of eight teams.
Despite a poor showing from the majority of players, Max Bridges '11 stood out by carding a 78 which placed him third overall for the tournament.
Sable Oaks Golf Course posed a challenge for each player. The course was narrow, leaving little room for error. Bridges score was all the more impressive in light of the level of difficulty posed by the golf course.
The women's golf team also faced a tough opponent in Bates College this past weekend. The Polar Bears went head to head with Bates in a scramble.
The final tally placed Bowdoin seven shots higher than its opponent resulting in a loss by a score of 156-149.
Coach Stacy Wilson said, "Saturday...saw a tightly contested Scramble-format golf match between the women's golf teams from Bates and Bowdoin at the Brunswick Golf Course."
Chelsea Gross '13 and Chelsea Young '11 led the team. The junior and first year duo carded a score of 77 while the top team for Bates shot a 74.
The loss to Bates handed Bowdoin its third straight second place finish in competition this season, with Bates edging them out each time.
"The Bowdoin two-member team of Chelsea Gross and Chelsea Young were tied with the top team from Bates at one over par after nine holes, but ended up dropping three strokes behind on the back nine to finish with a 77," said Wilson.
"Meanwhile, the three-member team of Lindsay Luke, Molly Nestor and Libby Spalding stepped up their game to shoot one over par on the back nine to close the gap to four on their counterparts from Bates and post a final score of 79," Wilson added.
The Polar Bears will return to the links in competition at the Maine-Farmington Invitational on October 4.
The team will look to raise its level in the squad's final competition of the season against Bates, UMF and Colby.
Wilson added, "The players are peaking just in time for what will be the last team event of the season."
Young and Gross will round out their season at the NESCAC Championship on October 10.
Gross will look to continue her successful rookie season at the NESCAC tournament and hopes to contend for medalist honors once again.