The Polar Bears posted several impressive performances, led by a pair of record- breaking performances by Nathan Mecray.
The senior set a pool and school record with a time of 25.99 in winning the 50 yard breaststroke and also established a school record in claiming the 100 individual medley with a time of 53.39. Mecray already owned both school records, but his 50 breaststroke time trimmed by more than six-tenths of a second off the previous facility mark established in 1995. In addition, Mecray also won the 100 breaststroke (57.65) in Saturday’s action.
Other multiple winners for the Bowdoin men included Ryan Peabody in the 400 yard IM (4:15.25) and 500 freestyle ( 4: 57.62), Ryan Kulesza in the 200 freestyle (1:47.92) and 100 butterfly (53.92) and Mac Routh in the 50 butterfly (23.14) and 200 backstroke (2:05.30). EJ Googins won the 50 free (22.55), Peter Deardorff in the 100 freestyle ( 50.19), Linc Rhodes in the 100 backstroke (55.13), Alex Tougas in the 1,650 free (17:25.79) and Tom Kramer claimed the three-meter dive (235.57)
On the women’s side, winners included Helen Newton in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.71), Teri Faller in the 100 freestyle (55.59) and Allen Garner in the 100 IM (1:02.83).
Bowdoin also won the men’s 200 reestyle relay (Deardorff, Rhodes, Basyl Stuyvesant and Andrew Park) in 1: 31.05 and 200 medley relay (Routh, Park, Chris Granata and William Shi) in 1:40.81.
On Friday, Bowdoin swept Bates in a dual meet at Greason Pool.
The men’s team beat Bates 198.5- 101.5, while the women’s team tamed the Bobcats 171.5-128.5.
Garner led the way for the Polar Bears, claiming three events on the women’s side. Garner took first place in the 200-yard (1:57.53) and 500 freestyle (5:18.58) as well as the 200 individual medley (2:14.17). Faller and Kelsey Goodwin also claimed two events, with Faller taking the 100 ( 59.66) and 200 backstroke (2:11.38) and Goodwin winning the 100 ( 1: 01.86) and 200 butterfly (2:13.12).
Laurel Varnell won the 100 breaststroke (1:08.95)
Peabody, Mecray and Stuyvesant each took multiple events for the Bowdoin men. Peabody in the 500 (4:55.52) and 1,000 freestyle (10:07.36), Stuyvesant in the 100 (53.62) and 200 backstroke (1:57.36) and Mecray in the 50 free (21.22) and 100 free (47.47). Other winners for the Polar Bears in the men’s meet included Granata in the 200 butterfly (1:55.64), Zach Perez in the 200 breaststroke ( 2: 18.31), Routh in the 100 butterfly (52.08) and Kulesza in the 200 IM (1:59.31).
Bowdoin swept the team events, claiming both the men’s and women’s 200 IM and 400 freestyle relay competitions.
Men’s ice hockey
Bowdoin beat Middlebury for the first time since 2007 in a 5-0 blanking of the Panthers on Saturday afternoon at Watson Arena.
The surging Polar Bears improved to 10-4-2 (8-2-2 NESCAC) and are 5-0-1 in their last six games and 7-0-1 in their last eight NESCAC contests. The Panthers fell to 7-6-2.
John McGinnis scored twice for Bowdoin while Steve Messina made 21 saves between the pipes. Dan Fullam stopped 27 shots for the Panthers in the loss.
Bowdoin wasted little time getting on the board as Erik Olson’s shot from the point went under the outstretched glove of Fullman at 2:08. Bowdoin doubled its lead shortly before intermission when Harry Matheson’s ninth goal of the season came on the power play with 1:08 left in the frame.
McGinnis’ first goal of the night came 4:42 into the second stanza after a nice centering feed from Ryan Carney. Connor Quinn scored the fourth goal of the afternoon on a breakaway at 14:01, knocking home a rebound after Fullam’s initial save. McGinnis gathered a Middlebury turnover and quickly snapped a shot past Fullam at 4:36 of the third period to round out the scoring.
On Friday, the Polar Bears scored three goals in the third period in pulling away from Williams, 4-2, in NESCAC play at Watson Arena.
The Ephs, ranked 10th in the latest Division III poll, lost for the first time since Dec. 9.
Ollie Koo notched a power-play goal, with assists from Matheson and Colin Downey at 9:36.
Graham Sisson redirected a feed from McGinnis at 4:11 of the second period. Tim McGarry and Matheson also scored.
Messina was strong in net for the Polar Bears with 23 saves.
Women’s basketball
Bowdoin pulled away from Trinity in the second half of a 61-44 win on Saturday afternoon at Morrell Gymnasium.
The Polar Bears snapped a twogame NESCAC losing streak and improved to 12- 5 ( 3- 2 NESCAC), while the Bantams fell to 6-8.
Jill Henrikson of Bath scored a game-high 16 points, thanks to 11-of- 13 shooting from the free throw line, to go with five rebounds. Ellery Gould pitched in 12 points and five caroms for the Polar Bears. Michelle Royals scored a team-high 15 for the Bantams.
Bowdoin clamped down defensively and went on a decisive 20-3 run in the second half to put the game out of reach.
Bowdoin held the Bantams to just 25 percent shooting from the field, including a two-of-12 performance from long range. The Polar Bears shot 45 percent and had a 36-30 edge on the glass. The teams combined to take 55 free throws, with Trinity hitting 18-of-27 and Bowdoin making 22-of-28.
On Friday, the Polar Bears gave Division III top-ranked Amherst all it could handle in a 63-59 NESCAC loss at Morrell Gymnasium.
Caroline Stedman led Amherst with 17 points and became the 12th player in program history to surpass 1,000 points. Kim Fiorentino had 15 points, while Jackie Renner added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the visitors.
Henrikson led all players with 18 points, 10 rebounds and five steals. Kaitlin Donahoe chipped in 15 points and seven rebounds in the loss.
Amherst held Bowdoin to 30.2-percent shooting, including three-of-13 from 3-point range. Amherst also struggled from the field, connecting on 37.3 percent from the field, including a four-of-19 effort from long range. The Jeffs held a 39-36 edge on the glass.
Men’s basketball
Andrew Madlinger scored 14 of his game-high 18 points in the second half as Bowdoin held Trinity to 29 pecent shooting in a 55-43 win on Saturday afternoon at Morrell Gymnasium.
The Polar Bears snapped a threegame conference losing streak with the win and improved to 11-5 (2-3 NESCAC). The Bantams fell to 10-8.
Madlinger was key in a secondhalf surge for Bowdoin, and finished with a game-high 18 points, four rebounds and three steals in the win. Will Hanley had 15 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks for Bowdoin, which also got 13 points from Ryan O’Connell. Mick Distasio led Trinity with nine points.
Neither team shot particularly well in the opening half, but Trinity carried a one-point lead into intermission (22-21) thanks to a late 3- point jumper from George Papadeas before the break. The squads exchanged blows in the second half, trading the lead 11 times in the opening 14 minutes of the stanza.
Tied at 39 with 5:48 remaining, O’Connell sparked an 8-0 run for the Polar Bears with a baseline jumper that gave the hosts a 47-39 lead with 2:37 to go. A minute later, O’Connell put the game on ice with a 3-pointer that pushed the lead to 50-41 with 1:50 left.
The Bantams went just two of eight from the free-throw line while Bowdoin connected on 17-of-20 attempts. Bowdoin held a 39- 34 edge in rebounds.
On Friday, Aaron Toomey and David Waller combined for 45 points to lead fourth-ranked Amherst to an 80-66 win at Bowdoin.
Toomey led all players with 23 points and 10 assists, while Waller pitched in 22 points for the Jeffs.
Hanley had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Bowdoin, while O’Connell notched 14 points thanks to four 3-pointers.
Women’s ice hockey
Middlebury’s Sara Ugalde scored two third-period goals to lead the Panthers to a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Bowdoin (6-7-2, 4-4) at Kenyon Arena.
Middlebury had a great chance in the game’s first minute, but Panthers Sara Ugalde and Katie Sullivan were both denied by Kayla Lessard (23 saves) from point-blank range.
Bowdoin took a 1-0 lead at the 3:30 mark when Colleen Finnerty scored on a wrap-around. Bowdoin closed the period on a power play, with Middlebury netminder Annabelle Jones ( 15 saves) stuffing Emily Tang’s rebound attempt with 1:30 remaining.
Bowdoin took a 2-0 lead at the 9:53 mark when Kim Tess Wanat sent in a puck from the left point that was quickly redirected in the slot by Kayte Holtz.
Middlebury answered at 11: 02 when Jennifer Krakower’s shot from the right point deflected in off Molly Downey for her third of the year. The Panthers had a great chance to tie the game late in the period, but failed to take advantage of 1:08 of five-on-three power play time.
Middlebury tied the game midway through the third when Ugalde redirected a shot from the left point taken by Maria Bourdeau.
Bowdoin took two late penalties, leaving Middlebury with a five-onthree power play for 1:15 with 2:00 remaining. Styrbicki found Maggie Melberg down low on the right, as her centering pass to the slot was one-timed into the back of the net by Ugalde for the game-winner. The goal was her second of the period and team-leading eighth of the season.
On Friday, Sullivan scored the game-winner with 1:34 remaining to lead fourth-ranked Middlebury to a 2-1 win over Bowdoin.
Middlebury outshot Bowdoin 14-4 in the opening period, but the teams went to the locker room scoreless.
The Panthers scored first, getting a Grace Waters rebound goal, with Hannah Bielawski earning an assist.
Bowdoin evened it with 6: 13 remaining when Stephanie Ludy scored her seventh goal of the campaign. Dominique Lozzi set up the play to pick up an assist, with Ludy’s shot eluding Middlebury goaltender Annabelle Jones ( 16 saves).
Tara Connolly had 31 stops in goal for Bowdoin.
Middlebury finished the game with a 33-17 shots advantage.
Indoor track
Pole vaulter Erin Silva broke her own school record as the Polar Bears competed in a non-scoring meet at Wesleyan University on Saturday.
Silva’s height of 11- 04.25 feet broke her previous indoor mark of 11-01 and led the way on an impressive day for the Bowdoin women’s team, which collected six individual wins and two relay victories.
Other winners for the women included Michele Kaufman in the 60 meter hurdles (9.43), Elsa Millett in the 400 (58.15), Olivia MacKenzie in the 3,000 (10:26.05), Anna Ackerman in the 5,000 meters (18:27.64) and Laura Peterson in the long jump (16- 06.00). The women’s 4×400 meter relay team of Samantha Copland, Emily Clark, Emily Barr and Millett (4:08.04) took first place, as well as the distance medley relay squad of Caroline Tory, Alee Wade, Liza LePage and Chatal Croteau (13:11.25).
Colin Fong led the men’s team with a first-place finish in the 800 (1:59.09) while Alex Williams took first in the 5,000 (15:44.48).
Other top finishes for the Bowdoin men included Matthew Gamache as runner-up in the 400 (51.58), while Coby Horowitz took second in the mile (4:20.56), followed closely by Nicholas Saba (4:22.96) in third. Kyle LeBlanc took second (7.15) and Rickey Larke (7.25) placed third in the 60. LeBlanc also placed third in the 200 (23.61) for the Polar Bears.
Matthew Hillard was third in the 3,000(8:47.84) and Eddy Page took third in the pole vault (14-01.25). Bowdoin’s distance medley relay team of James Boeding, John Hobbs, Fong and Saba also took third (10:40.02).
Other strong showings for the women’s team saw Croteau taking second in the 1,000 (3:03.89), Katherine Harmon earning second in the weight throw (48-00.75), Randi London throwing third in the shot put (35-09.50) and Wade placing third in the 200 (27.23).
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