BRUNSWICK, Maine - The Bowdoin field hockey team captured its eighth NESCAC Championship while snapping Middlebury's three-year win streak with a 2-1 victory on Sunday afternoon at Ryan Field.

The top-ranked Polar Bears (18-0) remain perfect on the season after handing rival Middlebury (16-2) the team's second loss on the season. Middlebury captured consecutive NESCAC titles from 2012-14, defeating Bowdoin by a single goal on each occasion.

How It Happened

• Clara Belitz and Emily Miller each made a pair of saves to keep the game scoreless through the opening 12 minutes before Bowdoin would strike at 12:02. Kimmy Ganong fired a shot at Miller who made the initial save only to see Rachel Kennedy extend towards the right post and put away the rebound for the 1-0 lead.
• Molly Freeman responded seven minutes later for Middlebury, tallying the equalizer 19:11 into play. Several Panthers and Polar Bears crowded the center of the circle, to the left of the stroke line, and battled for a neutral ball. Freeman popped a shot into the air that deflected off Belitz 's blocker and into the back of the net.
• Miller saved another Kennedy attempt with nine minutes remaining to keep the game tied at one, while the Middlebury defense came up with a big block on Kelsey Mullaney's corner drive in the final four minutes.
• Emily McColgan scored the game-winner for Bowdoin 19 minutes into the second half following a broken corner. The Panthers' defense disrupted Bowdoin's corner and the resulting play left the loose ball skidding towards the left side of the circle. McColgan collected the ball and flicked a shot through an open hole to tally Bowdoin's second.
• Bowdoin nearly added a third goal a couple minutes later, but Caroline Knapp denied the Polar Bears on the right post.
• The Middlebury attack consistently pressured Bowdoin in the midfield and defense, finding its way through for one final shot by Audrey Quirk in the last seven minutes.
• The Panthers pulled their goalie with 1:36 remaining in the game, in favor of an additional attacker, but the Polar Bears were able to hold off the offense.
• Bowdoin outshot Middlebury by an 11-5 margin. Both teams earned three corners in the contest, with both goalies making four saves.

Up Next

• Bowdoin earns the New England Small College Athletic Conference's automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA tournament. Middlebury, currently ranked third in the nation, will wait for the tournament bracket and at-large bids to be released tonight.