MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - The Bowdoin College women's basketball team pulled away in the second half of a 53-43 victory at Middlebury on Sunday afternoon.

The victory improves the 20th-ranked Polar Bears to 20-2 this season (8-0 NESCAC), giving Bowdoin their 13th 20-win campaign in the last 15 years. It also extends their winning streak to 17 games, the longest for the program since the heralded 2003-04 squad that reached the NCAA Championship game. Middlebury, led by first-year coach - and former Bowdoin assistant coach KJ Krasco - drops to 11-11 (3-5 NESCAC) on the season.

Shannon Brady scored 12 of her game-high 14 points in the second half and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Polar Bears. Kate Kerrigan was all over the floor, scoring 11 points, swiping a career-high nine steals, corralling six rebounds and dishing out four assists for Bowdoin. Ally Silfen provided a spark off the bench, scoring 10 points for the Polar Bears. Middlebury was led by 13 points from Elizabeth Knox.

Tied at 24-24 at halftime, Bowdoin increased their defensive pressure and held Middlebury to just 35% shooting while forcing 14 turnovers in the second period. Meanwhile, sparked by Brady, the Polar Bear offense burst out of the gate in the second half on a 10-2 run to take a lead they would never relinquish. Middlebury would come as close as six points on two occasions, but Bowdoin answered each call and led by as many as 18 points in the second half before a late Middlebury run cut the final margin to ten.

Bowdoin converted 27 points on Middlebury's 27 turnovers and held a 34-30 edge on the glass while scoring 28 points in the paint. Led by Silfen, the Polar Bear bench outscored Middlebury's 19-10.

The Polar Bears currently sit in a tie for first place in the league and are assured of either the #1 or #2 seed for the upcoming NESCAC Tournament regardless of their results next weekend. Bowdoin will travel to play at Bates on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. and will play Tufts, who presently sits in a first place tie with Bowdoin, in the regular season finale on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. with the top seed in the conference on the line.