Field hockey repeats history, falls to Bowdoin

Author: Maeve McGilloway

The Middlebury field hockey team, ranked second in the country, dropped a 2-0 decision to unbeaten Bowdoin on Saturday morning at Ryan Field in Brunswick, Maine. Both top-ranked Bowdoin and second-ranked Middlebury had undefeated records prior to the game. This loss drops Middlebury to 6-1 on the year.

The Polar Bears dominated the Panthers from start to finish, recording a 20-6 advantage in shots and a 15-7 margin in penalty corners. This matchup of NESCAC rivals was all too familiar for the Panthers who lost, by just one goal, to Bowdoin last year in the NCAA Division III championship game. This weekend's game marked the fifth consecutive season that Middlebury has lost to Bowdoin, but Middlebury still posts an impressive 82-17 record over that half decade.

Heading into Saturday's game, Bowdoin coach Nicky Pearson was well aware that the Middlebury contest would be one of the most challenging of the season. Commenting on the Panthers, Pearson said, "My expectation is that they're going to be as good as they were last year … it's going to be a terrific field hockey game."

The Polar Bears, who have won 29 consecutive games in their last two seasons, were aggressive from the start. In the early minutes, Bowdoin's fast-moving forward line had several attempts on goal, but Middlebury captain Caitlin Pentifallo '09 denied them and finished with seven saves for the game. Pentifallo, a two-year starter, has continued to show her expertise in the cage this season with a .796 save percentage and a 1.49 goals-against average. Bowdoin front line player Lindsay McNamara was able to tip the ball past Pentifallo 25:58 in the game and propel Bowdoin into halftime with a 1-0 lead. After the half, the Polar Bears added a little more cushioning as McNamara executed almost the same exact play and again registered a goal that extended the lead to 2-0.

"We had a slow first half because they constantly put pressure on our midfield and attack," midfielder Maddie Kahn '11 said, "but we were definitely able to step it up in the second half."

The Panther offense is usually able to capitalize and score off of connecting passes in the circle, but Bowdoin's zone defense swarmed the attack and hindered the Panthers. Bowdoin decided to face guard Chase Delano '11 after she earned NESCAC Player of the Week honors just two weeks ago. Other strong offensive players include Sophie Thompson '09 and Heather McCormack '10, who have netted six and five goals, respectively, this season.

Down 2-0, Middlebury had several chances to take control of the game and both Mullery Doar '10 and Lindsay McBride '09 had two shots on goal. The Panthers' main obstacle was gaining control of the ball in the goal circle. Middlebury head coach Katharine DeLorenzo said that goals the Panthers have scored against other teams are not going to be scored against a really strong team like Bowdoin. So far this season, Bowdoin has surrendered only one goal.

"The team was fully prepared for this game and simply didn't execute," forward Logan Brown '11 said. "We played their game and didn't play ours."

The team is not pessimistic about the loss, though. Bowdoin coach Pearson predicts that the next time the two foes play, "Middlebury is going to be really motivated." The question is "Are the Panthers capable of beating Bowdoin?" Middlebury players and fans would obviously answer "yes", or as assistant coaches Heidi Howard and Reid Berrien often say "obv yes".

The Panthers are ready for revenge and the next opportunity will most likely be in early November in the NESCAC tournament. In the meantime, the Middlebury field hockey team will take on Tufts this Saturday, Oct. 11.