BOX
SCORE
BRUNSWICK, Maine - The Bowdoin College women's basketball team
survived a defensive struggle against Bates on Thursday evening,
52-49. The Polar Bears, ranked fourth in the latest WBCA poll,
improve to 10-0 this season with the victory and earn their 14th
straight win over the Bobcats in Morrell Gymnasium. Bates has not
won in Brunswick since January of 2000, and fall to 8-4 this year
with the loss.
Both teams struggled from the field, each connecting on just 32%
of their shots in the contest. Bowdoin carried a three-point lead
into intermission, 24-21, thanks to a pair of late buckets by Leah
Rubega. The Polar Bears burst out of the gate in the second half,
using a 14-2 spurt to take a commanding 38-23 lead with 15 minutes
to play. Katie Bergeron sparked the run with a pair of
three-pointers for the Polar Bears.
Bates clawed their way back into contention thanks to some sharp
outside shooting. The Bobcats connected on four three-pointers in a
seven-minute span, capped by Allie Beaulieu's trifecta that trimmed
the Bowdoin lead to 42-36 with five minutes to play. The teams
traded buckets for the next three minutes with the Bobcats getting
no closer than four points. Bergeron banked home an off-balance
shot from the wing that pushed the 
Polar Bear lead to 50-44 with 35 seconds remaining, but Annie
Burns was fouled on a three-point shot on the ensuing possession
and netted all three free throws to cut the lead to 50-47 with just
eight seconds left.
Caitlin Hynes iced the game with a pair from the charity stripe
for the Polar Bears, who were held to a season-low in points.
Hynes was one of three Polar Bears who finished with a dozen
points and added eight boards. Bergeron and Kaitlin Donahoe also
added 12 points apiece while Rubega scored 11 points with 10
rebounds and three steals for the Polar Bears.
Beaulieu scored a team-high 16 points for the Bobcats, who
committed 23 turnovers in the game. Bowdoin held a slim 40-39 edge
in rebounding. With the win, the Polar Bears extend their lead in
the all-time series against Bates to 55-21.
Photos courtesy of Brian Beard and Creative Images
Photography.
