The men’s soccer team will look to extend its five-game win streak this weekend against Connecticut College at home.  
“I think that we’re really starting to come together,” said junior captain Ben Brewster. “We have a good group of young guys who are working well with the leadership of the older players and we have to keep on rolling.”
The Polar Bears are fresh off of two straight NESCAC victories last week, and started by beating Middlebury in an away game Saturday.
“Middlebury was good going in and we knew that we had a huge opportunity to have a defining win, which any season needs,” said senior co-captain Call Nichols.
Middlebury had only one real scoring chance in the first half, but a diving play by junior goalkeeper Will Wise kept the game scoreless going into the break.  Bowdoin’s offense came alive in the second half, but no one found the net until the 80th minute when Andrew Gray ’15 got a foot on a loose ball after a corner kick by Eric Goitia ’15.  Gray’s shot slipped past the Middlebury goalie and decided the match at 1-0.  
Bowdoin then hosted Bates on Tuesday afternoon.
“Bates was a big one because we always play a preseason scrimmage and this year we lost 2-0, which really never happens,” he said. “We had to make a statement. Midd and Babson were big for us in figuring out what works for us and how we’ll be successful.”
The Bobcats opened scoring with a 12th minute header off a floater in the box.  Bowdoin got an opportunity to equalize with a penalty late in the half.  Goitia made his shot and the teams went to intermission tied.
Possession was fairly equal until late in the second half, when Andrew Jones ’16 placed a cross in to Zach Danssaert ’14, who knocked it past the Bates keeper with five minutes left in play.  The Bobcats threatened with a few free kicks in the final minutes, but Bowdoin held on, maintaining the  2-1 score.
“There is a spirit in the group and a hunger to do well,” said Head Coach Fran O’Leary. “This has manifested itself in them finding ways to win tight games.”
The Polar Bears will continue their home series at noon on Saturday against the Conn. College Camels. While winless in NESCAC play,  the Camels are  coming off a non-conference victory at UMass Dartmouth.
Asked about the team’s mentality going into the weekend, O’Leary said:
 “We approach it like we approach all of it: just one at a time and looking to give a competitive performance.  And if we give it, then we’ll win our share of games. We’ll give our good effort and that will suffice.”