BOX SCORE
BRUNSWICK, Maine - The Bowdoin College field hockey team
defeated Stevens Institute of Technology, 3-0, in an NCAA
Second-Round game on Saturday. The Polar Bears (16-2) will face
Middlebury in the Regional Final on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The Ducks
end the best season in program history with a record of 19-4.
The third-ranked defending national champions controlled the
pace of play throughout, out-shooting the 16th-ranked visitors
20-2. But Bowdoin struggled to find the back of the net thanks to
some stellar defensive plays by Stevens.
The Polar Bears had an early bid to grab the lead just moments
into the contest, but a shot on the doorstep by Shavonne Lord was
swept aside by defender Erin Broderick to keep the game scoreless.
Later in the period, Julia King ripped a shot off the post
following a corner opportunity and goaltender Stephanie Smith made
five saves in the opening stanza.
But it was the Ducks' only defensive misplay of the half that
led to the only goal of the period as Bowdoin's Madeleine McQueeney
took control of a turnover 30 yards out and beat her defender to
left side of the goal. McQueeney centered to Ingrid Oelschlager,
who slipped the ball inside the right post to give the Polar Bears
the lead 14:48 into the contest.
Bowdoin carried their one-goal edge into the second period and
doubled their lead when Lindsay McNamara redirected a shot by Julia
King in front of the cage to make it 2-0 with 16:52 to play.
Stevens had their best opportunity to score just moments later off
a penalty corner. Kara Borzillo had two attempts in close, the
second of which was swept off the goal line by defender Kara
Kelley, to maintain Bowdoin's two goal advantage.
The Polar Bears upped their lead with less than 10 minutes to go.
Following a Stevens turnover, McQueeney found Katie Herter with a
centering pass that the first-year buried to make it 3-0 with 9:12
to play.
Stephanie Smith made several strong saves to keep the game
close, stopping 11 shots overall for the Ducks, who set a school
record wins and captured their first NCAA Tournament bid this
season. Bowdoin split time between Emileigh Mercer (no saves) and
Emily Neilson (one save).
Sunday's foe will be familiar for the Polar Bears, who will play
the Panthers for the sixth time in the last two seasons. The teams
have met twice already this season, with Bowdoin taking a 2-0
decision on October 4 and earning a 4-0 win in the NESCAC
Semifinals last weekend. Bowdoin defeated Middlebury in the 2007
NCAA Division III Championship Game, 4-3.
Photos courtesy of Brian Beard and Creative Images
Photography.
