BRUNSWICK, Maine - The sixth-ranked Bowdoin College field hockey team scored twice early in the second half to defeat 16th-ranked Wesleyan University on Saturday afternoon, 2-1. The Polar Bears improve to 8-0 (5-0 NESCAC) while the Cardinals fall to 7-2 (3-2 NESCAC) with the setback.

After a scoreless opening half, Bowdoin scored twice in a span of 2:34 to take a two-goal lead early in the second half. Off a penalty corner, Ingrid Oelschlager fed Ella Curren, who ripped a shot from the top of the circle into the cage with 32:39 left to play. Just over two minutes later, Cathleen Smith controlled the ball with a push downfield and found Liz Clegg behind the defense. Clegg beat Wesleyan netminder Tori Redding to the lower-right side of the net with 30:05 left to give Bowdoin a two-goal edge.

Wesleyan clawed back into contention with a goal from Blair Ingraham with just over 24 minutes left. Following a Cardinal penalty corner, Liz Chabot centered a pass to Ingraham, who slipped a shot under a diving Emily Neilson to make it 2-1. The goal ended a scoreless minute streak of 353:30 dating back to September 18.

Wesleyan resumed their offensive pressure late in the game, but a late Cardinal flurry was swept aside as the Polar Bears clung to victory. Neilson was forced to make one save in net for Bowdoin, who held a 23-3 edge in shots and 14-4 advantage in corners. Redding finished with 15 saves in net for Wesleyan.