The women's hockey team began the season by facing two tough NESCAC opponents, Middlebury and Williams. This past weekend, the team came away with a close loss to the Panthers (4-0-0) and a tie against the Ephs (3-0-1).
Williams came to Watson Arena undefeated on Sunday. The Ephs were led by rookie Head Coach Marissa O'Neil (Bowdoin '05), coaching her first game against her alma mater.
Williams struck first 5:48 into the second period on a power play goal by Ephs senior and NESCAC Player of the Week Torrey Taussig. Bowdoin got even 16:39 into the second period when Kate Pokrass '10 found Alex Fahey '12 in the slot.
Early in the final period, Bowdoin scored on a power play goal by Dominique Lozzi '12, which was matched seven minutes later by Taussig's second goal of the game to tie the game 2-2.
Bowdoin goalie Kayla Lessard '13 kept the Ephs out of the goal from then on through overtime, finishing with 24 saves and allowing Bowdoin to preserve the tie. The tie moved Bowdoin's record to 1-2-1 and the team currently holds sixth place in the NESCAC standings.
On Saturday, Bowdoin's precise shooting held the team even with No. 3-ranked Middlebury into the third period. The first period saw 15 shots on Bowdoin goalkeeper Sage Santangelo '12, and Middlebury took a 2-0 lead.
The first goal was deflected off the back of Santangelo on an attempted cross from behind the net. The second goal came after the puck caromed off the corner borders then deflected off a Bowdoin player into the right post.
However, Bowdoin bounced back with two goals in the second period, scoring twice on three shots. The first goal came off a faceoff won by Bowdoin, taken down the right wing by Kayte Holtz '13, who centered the puck to Jill Campbell '11, who snuck it by the Middlebury goalkeeper.
Shortly thereafter, Middlebury regained a two-goal lead off a Julie Ireland goal. In quick response, Chelsea Young '11 found Kim Tess-Wanat '13 for a top shelf goal to shrink the Middlebury lead back to 3-2 at the end of two periods.
Bowdoin tied things up at 2:18 into the final period on a goal by Alexandra Chlebeck '12. However, Middlebury's Ashley Barrios hit what proved to be the game-winning goal in the seventh minute to put Middlebury up one, 4-3.
Bowdoin's last chance came on a tip in front of the Middlebury goal by Katie Herter '12, but was saved by Middlebury goalie Alexi Bloom to preserve the win.
Bowdoin will play two games this weekend, traveling to Connecticut College (1-4-1 overall, 1-3-0 NESCAC) on Friday and then to Hamilton College (1-3-1 overall, 1-2-1 NESCAC).