BRUNSWICK, Maine – The Bowdoin field hockey team advanced to its sixth consecutive NESCAC Championship following a 4-0 semifinal win over fourth-seeded Amherst on Saturday afternoon.

The top-ranked Polar Bears remain perfect and improve to 17-0 following the shutout. Amherst ends the season with a final 12-5 overall record. The Jeffs earned the fourth seed and advanced to the semifinals following a 2-1 overtime win against Williams. 

How It Happened

• Rachel Kennedy tallied her first of three goals in the game just 1:31 into the contest. Bowdoin lined for a penalty corner with Kelsey Mullaney launching a direct shot on pads from the top of the circle. Emily Horwitz made the initial stop, but Kennedy quickly buried the rebound for the 1-0 lead.
• Mullaney and Kennedy connected for Bowdoin's second goal in the 22^nd minute to extend the Polar Bears' lead. Once again taking advantage of a penalty corner, Mullaney fired off a shot that Kennedy tipped for a redirect.
• Despite trading possession in the midfield throughout the opening half, Amherst's first challenge of Bowdoin goalie Clara Belitz came off the stick of Caroline Feeley with ten minutes remaining,
• The Jeffs and Polar Bears traded opportunities to open the second half as Belitz and Horwitz were each challenged in goal. Bowdoin broke through 9:16 into the second frame to extend its lead to three. Emily McColgan collected a ball on the left side of the circle and backhanded a centering pass to Kennedy on stroke. Kennedy quickly tracked the ball and slid a shot inside the left post to cap her hat trick.
• Bowdoin capped its scoring with another successful corner midway through the half. Kimmy Ganong inserted to McColgan on the left side who quickly teed up a shot that connected with the backboard for the Polar Bears' fourth.
• Two minutes later Amherst looked to spoil the shutout with a penalty corner shot from Katie Paolano. Paolano's bid from the top was blocked out of the air by Kim Kahnweiler and cleared beyond the circle by Emma Olney.
• Following a Bowdoin green card Paolano took another shot, this time finding Belitz, but the Jeffs were unable to capitalize on the extra-player advantage.
• Bowdoin outshot Amherst by a 22-4 margin with a 6-2 edge in penalty corners. Belitz ended the day with three saves for the shutout as Horwitz made 11 stops for the Jeffs.

Up Next

• Bowdoin advances to the NESCAC Championship tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. The Polar Bears will face Middlebury for the fifth straight year in the final.