Standing in the field hockey team’s path to the NESCAC championship last weekend were Tufts and Middlebury, both who beat Bowdoin during the regular season. The Polar Bears went 1-1 over the weekend, handling Tufts and then losing to Middlebury after a double-overtime tie 3-2 in penalty strokes.
Earlier in the season, Middlebury handed Bowdoin a 2-1 defeat—their first in the regular season since 2010. In this season’s last game for the Polar Bears, Tufts defeated Bowdoin 3-1, the most goals an opponent had scored against the Polar Bears so far this year.
The unexpected defeat does not negate Bowdoin’s perennial postseason prowess. The team is experienced—having won six of the past seven NESCAC championships.
Last week, Bowdoin shut out Williams 3-0 in the quarterfinals and then avenged their regular season loss by cruising past Tufts 4-1.
Coach Nicky Pearson says she believes it was her team’s improved corner execution and tighter defensive marking that secured the victory.
Unfortunately for the Polar Bears, the postseason intensity and altered tactics were not enough to reverse the score on Middlebury in the NESCAC championship game.
Bowdoin’s more compact defensive shape kept Middlebury’s opportunities limited (the Polar Bears led in shots 15-13), but couldn’t keep the Panthers from winning 3-2 in penalty strokes.
According to captain Cathleen Smith ’13, defense dominated the stalemate.
“Our defense held an incredibly offensive team to only two goals and saved a crucial penalty stroke in overtime,” she said. “At the same time, we had a ton of offensive opportunities in regular play and overtime that Middlebury’s defense was able to deny.”
The double over-time game was kept close in part by stellar goaltending on both teams; both Kayla Lessard ’13 and Middlebury’s Madeline Brooks recorded nine saves.
Pearson insisted of her team’s 7-1 advantage in overtime corners that the team had to capitalize better on them, as corners are critical man-up opportunities that could have secured a victory for the team. Bowdoin led Middlebury 13-5 in corners throughout the game.
Kassey Matoin ’13 scored the first goal just two minutes into the first half. Just over a minute later, Middlebury answered with an equalizer. Rachel Kennedy ’16 then scored late in the first half off a Molly Paduda ’14 assist.
Middlebury’s leading scorer, Lauren Greer, responded with a goal in the 63rd minute to send the game into overtime deadlocked at 2-2.
Neither team could infiltrate both staunch defensive efforts, and after three overtimes and 100 minutes of play, Bowdoin and Middlebury were forced to decide the NESCAC title on a penalty shootout. With Bowdoin leading 2-1 in penalties, two Middlebury players hit two consecutive shots to clinch their team’s victory.
Despite the defeat, multiple Polar Bears were recognized with NESCAC honors. Brooke Phinney ’13 was named NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year and Kennedy took Rookie of the Year honors. Phinney, Smith, and Riley were NESCAC First Team selections while Lessard and Matoin were honored with Second Team recognition.
Though the NESCAC title gave Middlebury an automatic NCAA bid and a bye in the first round, Bowdoin was selected as an at-large bid to host New Paltz State (16-5) in the first round of the national tournament.
Bowdoin dominated New Paltz 6-1, with Katie Riley ’14 racking up an impressive hat trick.
The Polar Bears looked like the same team that has been wildly successful in past NCAA tournaments. Coach Pearson insisted that “experience in the tournament helps—but then again we have a first year class that has never been in the tournament.”
Kennedy, a first year herself, managed to score, as did Phinney and Smith.
The lopsided victory sends the sixth-seeded Polar Bears on the road to William Smith College to face MIT on Saturday, November 10 at 2 p.m.