The fourth-ranked Women's Hockey Team knocked off the top team in the country, Middlebury on Sunday, extending the Bears' winning streak to 13 games. Bowdoin also defeated Williams?ranked third in the NESCAC?and even tied a professional women's hockey team during this stretch.
During the last two weeks, Bowdoin has only played three games, but the team has not lost its edge. Bowdoin was able to post wins against two of the top teams in the NESCAC during this stretch, ending a five-game conference road trip with an unblemished 5-0 record.
With a combined three points this weekend at home against NESCAC opponents, the team can lock up the right to play host of the conference tournament.
On Sunday, Bowdoin handed the Middlebury Panthers their first loss home loss of the season. Bowdoin took a lead early in the game and never looked back. Midway through the first period, Kat Popoff '08 netted the first goal of the game, unassisted. Later in the period, Kelsey Wilcox '06 extended the lead off assists by teammates Nicki Young '06 and Meaghan Tanguay '07.
Undaunted, Middlebury answered in the second period. The Panthers scored on a power play following a tripping penalty assessed to Brittany Abery '08.
Bowdoin put the game out of Middlebury's reach early in the third period. Outstanding first-year Kristen Cameron scored the game-winning goal, her 17th of the season, in a performance that would earn her co-NESCAC Player of the Week honors.
Tanguay's third goal of the season made the game 4-1, essentially ending any Middlebury threat. Meghan Gillis '07 scored late in the third to finish the scoring for Bowdoin. Cat MacEachern '06 saved 30 shots en route to the victory.
The previous day, Bowdoin had traveled to Williamstown to take on the Williams Ephs, the third place team in the NESCAC standings. Again Bowdoin emerged victorious, defeating Williams 4-1.
After an uneventful first period, Williams took the first lead of the game midway through the second period. Bowdoin responded quickly, scoring two goals in the next three minutes. Katie Coyne '08 scored on a power play, while Cameron scored another game-winning goal a minute later.
In the third period, Bowdoin extended its lead on a power play goal from Lydia Hawkins '07 and another goal from Cameron. MacEachern made 30 saves in the win.
Also during this stretch, Bowdoin played host to an exhibition game against the Boston Wizards, a collection of aspiring National Team players and former Olympians. Bowdoin tied the Wizards 2-2.
Bowdoin can play host to the conference tournament next weekend with any combination of a win and a tie against two sub-.500 NESCAC foes this weekend at Dayton Arena. First, they must square off against Wesleyan at 7:00 p.m. tonight. Wesleyan ranks last in the NESCAC this year with a 1-12-1 record in conference play. Wesleyan has also struggled overall with a 3-17-1 record.
Then, they face a Trinity team that holds a respectable 9-10-1 overall record, but has struggled against conference foes, posting a 4-9-1 record in the NESCAC. Neither team has scored a goal on Bowdoin this year, as Wesleyan lost 8-0 and Trinity lost 6-0.
Come out and cheer on the Bowdoin Women's Hockey Team in the team's final conference games of the season.