Over the past two weeks, the women's field hockey team improved their record to 8-3, accumulating four wins with only one loss. The dynamic offense recorded 24 goals and posted a staggering 124 shots, while the defense continued their solid performance by limiting opponents to only four goals and 20 shots.
Senior co-captain Shavonne Lord '10 said, "We are connecting well all over the field and utilizing our speed as a team to generate a lot of great scoring opportunities. In order to continue to be successful this season we are going to have to make sure we capitalize on these opportunities."
The Polar Bears scored a season-high ten goals Thursday night as they cruised past the Beavers of the University of Maine - Farmington with a shutout victory. Ella Curren '12 and Jessie Small '11 led the team with two goals apiece, and five other Polar Bears recorded multi-point performances on the evening.
In another notable performance, first-year Kassey Matoin tallied her first career goal at 63:01 with a beautiful back-door redirect shot off of a pass from McKenna Teague '12.
For the first time since 2004, the Polar Bears fell to the Cardinals of Wesleyan University 3-2 on Saturday. Despite holding an 8-2 advantage in overtime shots, the impressive performance of Wesleyan netminder Tori Redding '13 forced the game into a shootout.
Curren put the Polar Bears on top with five minutes remaining in the game off a pass from Megan McCullough '10. However, the Cardinals answered with another tying goal just 1:30 later with a shot from Ashley McLaren '13.
Neither team was able to find the back of the net in either of the two overtime periods, so the game was decided in a shootout. Wesleyan was declared the winner in the third round after Bowdoin failed to convert on their final two attempts.
Co-captain Kara Kelley '10 said, "The close games this season definitely show how strong the NESCAC is as a whole. Every team brings their 'A-game' and therefore you know that each game is going to be a battle."
The field hockey team also completed a decisive victory over the Maine rival Colby College Mules 5-1 on October 7. Katie Herter '12 led the Polar Bears with two goals and an assist on the night. Liz Clegg '12, Small and Teague each tallied a goal and Ingrid Oelschlager '11 and Lord each recorded an assist.
On October 4, the Polar Bears out-shot the Lyons of Wheaton College 31-1 en route to a 6-0 victory. Lord pocketed two goals on the day, Teague earned a goal and an assist, and six other Polar Bears recorded either a goal or an assist.
Bowdoin pulled past the Camels of Connecticut College on October 3 with a goal early in the second half. Lord found the back of the net off of a pass from Oelschlager at 37:42. The Polar Bears peppered the Connecticut College goaltender, Steph Quinn '10, with 17 shots. Quinn's solid play between the pipes kept the game close and earned her 12 saves.
Head coach Nicky Pearson said, "We are moving the ball well in transition to create scoring opportunities, we just need to convert more of those favorable circumstances into goals."
The Polar Bears look to add another tally to the NESCAC win column this Saturday at 11:00 a.m. on the turf of Howard F. Ryan Field when they face the Ephs of William College, who come into the game with a 5-5 record.