BRUNSWICK, Maine - The Bowdoin College women's rugby team eased to a 20-0 win over visiting Amherst in a NERFU Tier Two Playoff contest at Pickard Field Saturday. The Polar Bears advance to play the winner of Bates and Wellesley in the "Plate Division" Championship next Saturday at 2:30.

Using the rain-softened field and wet weather to its advantage, Bowdoin maintained good pressure and hard tackling to force numerous turnovers,With sloppy play going back and forth, at fifteen minutes into the first half, scrumhalf Becky Stevens took advantage of poor defense around the ruck, broke through a tackler and sidestepped another to score in the far corner giving Bowdoin a 5-0 lead. Co-captain/fullback Hannah Larson fielded an Amherst kick and ran it back 30 meters before executing a fine kick over the head of the Amherst winger, chasing her down and blocking the counter-kick. Along with support from fellow backs and forwards, this set up a good attacking platform and Bowdoin played through a series of phases, moving the ball to the 5 meter line, where pressure from #9 & # 10 resulted in the heads up play of Uche Esonu stripping the ball and muscling her way over the try line for a 10-0 halftime lead.

Bowdoin tightened up their play in the second half and extended their lead. Tapping a penalty ball from 5 meters out, Dani McAvoy '13 fed Loryn Fridie '11 who bruised by a defender and scored, increasing the lead to 15 - 0. Bowdoin finished out the scoring on a beautiful try, attacking the short side with hard running and well-timed passing. Joining the line from deep and with perfect timing, Anna Nicol took a pass from Kerry Townsend '13 and sped down the sideline and into the tryzone, scoring near the posts to close out the victory.