The women's soccer season came to an end in the NESCAC quarterfinals, when they lost a hard-fought battle to second-seeded Amherst. The team ends its season with an overall record of 6-7-2, as Amherst moves on to host the semifinals against Bates.
The Polar Bears earned a spot in the NESCAC tournament for the 11th time in program history after defeating Trinity on October 23.
"We had a lot of confidence going into the game against Amherst and we felt we were going to get a win," said junior captain Ellery Gould.
The team wasted no time getting started as Gould's one-on-one matchup with Amherst goalie Allie Horwitz ended in her 12th goal of the season merely two minutes into the game.
But the Jeffs responded in the 14th minute when Jackie Hirsch broke through the Bears defense and found the back of the net to even the score.
In the 38th minute Sarah Duffy booted a shot from 30 yards out just over Flaherty's reach, giving Amherst a 2-1 lead heading into halftime.
The Polar Bears kept fighting, as they have all season, pulling even with the Lord Jeffs just over five minutes into the second half. Celeste Swain '12, who is second to Gould in attempted shots, scored the unassisted tally for Bowdoin.
But with 26 minutes left to play, the Jeffs responded with the game-winning goal from Amanda Brisco, securing the 3-2 win.
Amherst held a 20-5 edge in shots and 9-0 advantage in corner kicks, while Horwtiz recorded two saves in the win. Flaherty made five saves in her final game as a Polar Bear.
Earlier in the week, the team traveled to Tufts to close out the regular season, but suffered a 1-0 loss. The Jumbos clamped down defensively, allowing the Bears just one shot in the second half.
After senior goalkeeper Kat Flaherty recorded two saves in the first half, Tufts took control with 41:01 to go in the second when Jamie Love-Nichols found the back of the net. Tufts, boasting some of the best defensive stats in the conference, held a 16-4 advantage in shots.
Gould heads into her senior season six shots shy of the program record 38 goals, held by Marte Holden '85, that has stood for 26 years.
The Polar Bears will graduate six seniors this spring: Flaherty, Duffy, Tiernan Culter, Katherine Farrar, Christina Aceto and Elisabeth Wong.
"Our six seniors had a huge impact on our team," said Gould. "They all demonstrated great leadership and displayed tremendous character and commitment on and off the field. They truly embodied Bowdoin Women's Soccer, and we will definitely miss their presence next year."
Despite its record, all but one of the team's losses this year have been by only one goal.
"The team is looking forward to next year's season and we are always hoping to improve," said Gould. "We all have high hopes and are prepared to put in the time and effort to have a successful season."