MIDDLETOWN, Conn. - The Bowdoin College men's lacrosse team scored on its first four shots on goal to build a 4-0 first-quarter advantage and hold off Wesleyan (8-3, 4-3) 7-5 on Saturday afternoon. 

Up next for the Polar Bears (9-3, 5-3 NESCAC), ranked 18th nationally, is a home game vs. Colby on Tuesday evening. Wesleyan falls to 8-3 (4-3 NESCAC) with the setback.

Despite Wesleyan's 21-5 margin in total shots over the opening 15 minutes and a 45-16 edge for the game, Bowdoin used quality over quantity as the Polar Bears scored on seven of their 10 shots on net while Wesleyan converted on just five of 22.  Bowdoin senior netminder Chris Williamson had a stellar game with 17 saves including a key stop on a shot by Wesleyan sophomore Aidan Daniell with one minute to play.

Bowdoin's top scorer Mark Flibotte made his presence known by scoring the final three Polar Bear goals to up his season total to 24.  His goals at 2:29 of the second period on a one-timer from the left side and at 12:20 of the third period on a mid-range low shot put Bowdoin ahead 6-2.  His final tally at 3:42 of the third made it 7-3.  Sophomore Franklin Reis made sharp passes to set Flibotte up for his first and third markers.  Senior Nathan Fritts had a goal and an assist for Bowdoin as the third multi-point getter for the visitors.

Bowdoin netted three goals in a span of 3:08 during the first period with sophomore Conor O'Toole, junior Billy Bergner and senior Lawton Salley finding the net for the 3-0 lead before Fritts added a goal with :20 left in the period for a 4-0 Bowdoin lead.  Freshman Quentin DellaFera and Daniell scored in the opening seven minutes of the second frame to narrow the gap to 4-2 before Flibotte made it 5-2 at halftime.

Daniell had a goal and two assists to pace Wesleyan.  He set up both fourth-quarter Cardinal goals by sophomore Graham Macnab with 5:22 left and freshman Matt Prezioso on a man-advantage tally with 4:21 to play, making it a 7-5 game.  But the Polar Bears kept the Cardinals off the board for the remainder of the contest.