HARTFORD, Conn. - Liz Clegg tied her season high with four goals to lead the Bowdoin College women's lacrosse team to a 13-10 win over Stevens in the Second Round of the NCAA Division III Tournament Saturday at Trinity College. With the win, the Polar Bears (16-3) set a new program record for wins in a season and advance to their third NCAA Regional Final appearance tomorrow against the host Bantams at 1:00 p.m. Stevens closes its season with a record of 16-4.
Katy Dissinger registered a hat trick, while Katie Stewart and Carolyn Gorajek each finished with two goals and one assist for the Polar Bears. Katie Herter posted a team-high four draw controls and sophomore goaltender Tara Connolly made seven saves in the Polar Bear goal. Sunday's contest will be a rematch of a thrilling contest between Bowdoin and Trinity on March 19, won 8-7 by the Bantams.
Stevens opened up a 4-0 lead 10:24 into the game, as junior attacker Michelle Buonacuore scored on a free position at the 24:36 mark and assisted senior midfielder Christine Smith on three straight goals over a stretch of 3:37. Junior midfielder Katie Stewart broke the Polar Bear scoring drought with 19:17 left in the first half, igniting a 4-0 run for Bowdoin that tied the game at 4-4 with just under 10 minutes left in the first half. Freshman midfielder Kara Rafferty scored two of three Stevens goals over the final 6:38 before the break to help the Ducks go into the half with a 7-5 advantage.
Trailing, 8-5, early in the second stanza, Bowdoin erupted for five unanswered tallies, beginning with a score by junior attacker Celeste Swain from sophomore attacker Carolyn Gorajek. Clegg scored twice in 2:03 to tie the game at 8-8 with 20:33 on the clock, and junior midfielder Katie Herter netted the gamewinner just 21 seconds after, followed by Stewart's second goal with 19:35 remaining. Rafferty responded for Stevens with an unassisted goal at the 17:34 mark, and the teams traded goals over the next two-plus minutes to make the score, 11-10, in Bowdoin's favor halfway through the second half.
Clegg recorded her fourth goal of the game, converting on a feed by junior attacker McKenna Teague, to give Bowdoin a two-goal lead with 14:02 left and senior midfielder Katy Dissinger added another insurance goal with 5:51 left to play to seal the win.
Buonacuore paced the Ducks with five points on a goal and four assists, while Smith scored four times and controlled four draws, Rafferty scored three goals, and sophomore goalie Meg Collins had eight saves.
