The Bowdoin College field hockey team scored twice in the final 13 minutes to pull away from the University of New England in a 3-1 victory in their season debut on Wednesday night at Ryan Field.
The second-ranked Polar Bears dealt the Nor’easters (2-1) their first loss.
Bowdoin took the early advantage when Elizabeth Bennewitz scored her first career goal just 4:56 into the contest off a hard drive following a penalty corner. The Polar Bears continued to pressure, posting a 9-1 edge in shots in the opening period, but failed to add to their lead.
The Nor’easters scored on their lone shot of the half, following a scramble in front of the goal that Vonde Saunders deflected into the cage, knotting the contest heading into halftime.
The teams traded possessions for most of the second half until a late push by Bowdoin resulted in a foul in the circle against UNE as the officials awarded a penalty stroke to the Polar Bears. Juliana Fiore deposited the ensuing stroke into the net, giving Bowdoin a 2-1 lead with 12:08 to play.
Bowdoin continued to pressure the UNE defense and gained consecutive penalty corners late in the period. First-year Kara Finnerty redirected a Bennewitz drive into the net with 1:36 remaining to put the contest on ice.
The Polar Bears held a 19- 1 edge in shots and 12-0 lead in penalty corners. UNE goaltender Holly Smith made eight saves in the loss
Bowdoin will return to action Saturday at home against Amherst at 11 a.m.
Women’s soccer
Bowdoin scored twice in the first 20 minutes for a 3-0 win in their season-opener against Babson on Wednesday afternoon at Pickard Field.
Despite Bowdoin’s first-half goals, it was Babson that had the best early chance off a corner kick when Victoria Penta headed the ball toward the Polar Bear goal, only to see net-minder Rachel Stour make a diving save to keep the game scoreless.
Bowdoin scored twice in a 7:05 span in the opening period to take a commanding 2-0 lead. A great individual effort by Nikki Wilson resulted in the first goal, as she dribbled down the center of the field, weaved through defenders and ripped a strong shot inside the right post at 13:17.
Just over seven minutes later, Julia Patterson broke in on Babson keeper Elizabeth Mycock and toed the ball past the oncoming goalie to make it a 2-0 contest at intermission.
Babson made a bid to cut into Bowdoin’s lead early in the second half, but a pair of Kathryn Clark shots were stopped by Stout to preserve the shutout.
Bowdoin put the contest out of reach in the 71st minute as Patterson collected the ball at the top of the box and served a lob towards the center of the box that deflected off a Babson defender to the foot of Abby Hammerl, who finished off the service with a diving kick to make it a 3-0 contest.
Stout recorded the shut out with eight saves. Babson saw goaltenders split halves as Mycock made three stops in the first half before Maddison Gierschick stopped one in the second half.
Bowdoin held a 15-10 edge in shots and 7-4 lead in corner kicks for the game.
Bowdoin will return to action on Saturday at noon against Amherst at home.
Men’s soccer
The Polar Bears claimed a workmanlike 3-0 win over the University of New England in its season debut on Wednesday afternoon.
Bowdoin is 1-0 and hosts Amherst at noon on Saturday.
Bowdoin had the better of the early chances, but failed to find the net until the 39th minute. After a scramble in front of the UNE net, the ball came loose to Matty McColl on the left side of the box. McColl lofted a perfectly placed pass to Levi Morant, who headed it into the goal to give the hosts a 1- 0 lead at intermission.
The Polar Bears continued to pressure in the second half and was rewarded when a long ball played into the box by Wilson MacMillian was tipped by a retreating Nor’easter defender over his own goaltender and into the goal at 67:16.
Bowdoin closed out the scoring in the 79th minute when first-year Jack Shultz played a nifty cross to the head of Moctar Niang, who knocked it home to cap the scoring.
Bowdoin’s Stevie Van Siclen recorded his 16th career shutout in the win, making three saves. Elijah Leverett stopped four shots in goal for UNE.
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