BRUNSWICK, Maine – The Bowdoin women's ice hockey team advanced to the NESCAC Semifinals after defeating Wesleyan 2-1 in the conference quarterfinals Saturday at Watson Arena.

The Polar Bears improve to 12-10-3 (7-7-3 NESCAC) following the win. The Cardinals end their season with a final record of 8-11-6 (5-7-5 NESCAC).

Maddie Baird put Bowdoin on the board 3:47 into the opening period. Taking a feed from Ariana Bourque, Baird flipped the puck from the right to the far post for a 1-0 lead. With one minute remaining, Emily Tang made a move around two defenders and wristed a shot that ricocheted off the crossbar and back into play to close out the period.

Bowdoin continued to control the game in the second period. Tang had another good look as she reached across her body and aired a puck that Wesleyan netminder Laura Corcoran snatched glove side. Carrying the puck down the left side boards, Kimmy Ganong cut to center and got off a quick shot that was once again padded away by Corcoran in net. 

Mallory Andrews doubled the Polar Bears' lead less than three minutes into the final frame. Skating out of neutral ice, being trailed closely by a defender down the boards, Andrews proceeded to go blocker side on Corcoran to take the 2-0 lead. Wesleyan looked to gain momentum with four minutes remaining off a power play goal, which pulled the Cardinals to within one. Ellery Sarosi's shot from close range was deflected up and over Lan Crofton to break the shutout. Wesleyan was unable to pull their goalie for the majority of the final 1:15 as Bowdoin maintained offensive pressure in the zone and skated away with the win.

Crofton made 18 saves in net for the Polar Bears, with Corcoran stopping 31 shots on the opposite end.

Bowdoin advances to the NESCAC Semifinals, being hosted by Williams College, next weekend. The Polar Bears will faceoff against Colby after the Mules upset second-seeded Amherst. The teams will play at 4 p.m. Saturday, following Williams and Conn. College at 1 p.m.