No. 1 Bowdoin Downs No. 8 Blue Field Hockey in NCAA Quarterfinals, 3-0
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wellesley (17-4) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Bowdoin (20-0) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
BRUNSWICK, Maine -- Bowdoin College used a three-goal first half to down Wellesley College field hockey, 3-0, in the quarterfinals of the 2015 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship on Sunday at Howard Ryan Field.
Bowdoin, the nation's only remaining undefeated team at 20-0, advances to the national semifinals next Saturday, November 21, at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. Wellesley ends the season with a 17-4 record after making its third-consecutive appearance in the "Elite Eight" quarterfinal round.
Bowdoin senior Rachel Kennedy (Trumbull, Conn.) scored the eventual game-winning goal just over four minutes into the first half when she converted on a penalty stroke after being taken down inside the circle. Kennedy's marker was the 100th of her collegiate career and her 33rd of the season, setting a new single-season scoring record for the Polar Bears.
Bowdoin's standout forward would add career goal number 101 later in the first half, giving the Polar Bears a 2-0 lead when she one-timed a pass from sophomore Juliana Fiore (Westwood, Mass.) into the cage at 29:26.
The Polar Bears then increased their lead to a 3-0 with just seven seconds left in the opening half, when a long drive from outside the circle by senior Kelsey Mullaney (Boston, Mass.) was redirected past Wellesley goalkeeper Lucy Hurlock (Needham, Mass.) and into the cage by junior Kimmy Ganong (Brunswick, Maine).
The three-goal first proved to be enough for Bowdoin, as the teams played a scoreless second half. Hurlock totaled 10 saves in the contest, making five in each half. Bowdoin junior Clara Belitz (Del Mar, Calif.) denied a bid from junior Nikki Sharkin (Summit, N.J.) in the first half to earn the win.
Bowdoin finished the contest with a 22-3 edge in shots and a 10-5 advantage in penalty corner opportunities.
The Polar Bears will face Ursinus College in next Saturday's NCAA Semifinals at 11:00 AM. Ursinus advanced with a 5-0 win over Rochester on Sunday afternoon.
