MIDDLEBURY, VT. – The Bowdoin field hockey team defeated reigning national champion Middlebury 2-1 in a double overtime shootout on Saturday afternoon.
The Polar Bears improve to 7-2 (4-2 NESCAC) after playing their fourth consecutive overtime game. Bowdoin's last program win over the Panthers (8-2, 4-1 NESCAC) came in the NESCAC Championship game back in 2015.
Game Highlights
- The Panthers and Polar Bears played a scoreless first half. Middlebury owned an 8-0 edge in shots during the first 30 minutes of play and earned six penalty corners.
- Middlebury came out and scored just 1:26 into the third quarter. Georgianne Defeo came in from the left side and sent a cross to Addie Chandler in the center. Chandler deflected the ball to go ahead 1-0.
- Bowdoin answered just six minutes later. The Polar Bears put a ball on pads from just outside the circle and Izzy Redzic's rebound popped the ball back out into play. The Polar Bear offense swarmed and crashed pads until a shot by Hannah Balmelli was deflected by Mackay Bommer to find net.
- Middlebury controlled overtime with a combined 6-3 edge in shots and 5-2 corner advantage.
- In the shootout, Bowdoin was down 1-0 after the first round but Charlotte Crawford quickly evened the tally at 1-1. Lauren O'Donald went on to make three more saves, and the teams entered the fifth round still tied 1-1. Bommer scored on Bowdoin's final attempt and O'Donald came up with a massive save to end the Polar Bears' winless drought against Middlebury.
By the Numbers
- Middlebury outshot the Polar Bears 19-5 with a 10-3 edge in shots on goal.
- The Polar Bears stared down 14 corners and earned four total, including two in the second overtime.
- O'Donald made nine saves.
- Redzic made a pair of stops.
Up Next
- Bowdoin plays at Husson on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
