The women's basketball team suffered two disappointing losses this weekend in back-to-back games against Tufts and Bates. Friday night saw the women's 14-game winning streak broken by the Jumbos, with a decisive final score of 62-49.
Friday evening was the Polar Bears' first loss of the season on home court. The women kept close to the Jumbos in the first half, with a halftime score of 27-21. After the first half, two free throws from Amy Hackett '12 brought the Polar Bears to a 32-31 lead with 13:30 left in the game.
However, the Tufts players quickly regained the upper hand with a 6-0 streak and ongoing possession, effectively shutting out the Bowdoin women. The score read 45-36 with eight minutes remaining, and the Jumbos held on to the ball, continuing to score on free throws late in the game to escalate the score.
Coach Adrienne Shibles highlighted the play of Jill Henrickson '12, saying, "Jill had an amazing weekend. She showed intensity, consistency and leadership."
Henrickson scored 17 points for Bowdoin, followed closely by Nicole Coombes '12, who scored 13 points and 10 rebounds.
After Friday's frustrating defeat, the women had to turn right around for Saturday's home game against Bates. But Saturday brought the Polar Bears their worst home defeat since 2000. With a final score of 77-56 in the Bobcats' favor, Saturday's Bowdoin-Bates game was comparable to the Bowdoin-Trinity home game in 2000, where the final score was 65-45.
The first few minutes of Saturday's game held no indication of what was to come, as both the Polar Bears and the Bobcats played consistently. Bates' dominance began after the 10-minute mark, when the Bobcats abruptly pulled away with a 16-0 surge.
At one minute to halftime, the scoreboard read 35-21, which the Bobcats managed to up to a 40-25 lead before the break.
After halftime, the Polar Bears couldn't close the gap despite attempts that briefly brought them down to a 13-point difference. Henrickson tied a women's basketball record, successfully making six three-pointers in defeat.
"The losses versus Tufts and Bates this past weekend are incredibly disappointing," Shibles said. "We did not pressure the ball like we typically do and we disappeared offensively."
As their season continues, the women will continue to work on their offense and their defensive pressure.
"This team is special in so many ways," Shibles continued, "but we need to be more consistent with our mental and physical toughness."