MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The No. 12 ranked Bowdoin Polar Bears defeated the Wesleyan field hockey team, 4-0, at Smith Field on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals fall to 2-4 (0-4 NESCAC) while Bowdoin improves to 4-2 (2-2 NESCAC).
HIGHLIGHTS:
- The game's first goal came off a penalty corner in the 12th minute as Bailey Prete nudged a ball to Faith Jennings in front who sent a backhander that found the back of the cage
- Making her first career start, Wesleyan goalkeeper Kylie Nelson-Marois '24 made a key save on a Bowdoin penalty corner that was the final play of the first quarter, keeping the deficit at one
- The Cardinals had their chances in the second quarter, generating two shots (one on-target) and two penalty corners early in the stanza but couldn't find the equalizer
- Bowdoin added another off a penalty corner just 46 seconds into the second half as Bailey Prete did the damage off a feed from Georgie Coetzer to make it 2-0 Polar Bears
- Nelson-Marois was stellar in the third quarter, as she did the heavy lifting, making five consecutive saves while watching Bowdoin generate 11 penalty corners in the third quarter alone
- All that pressure ultimately led to goals as Jennings forced a turnover deep in the Wesleyan defensive end, carried in on goal and put one past Nelson-Marois to make it 3-0
- A fourth goal followed right before the end of the quarter as Jennings completed her hat trick, finishing a centering pass from Manveer Sandhu
- Wesleyan had a chance at a consolation goal in the 50th minute as Olivia Baglieri '22 stepped up to take a penalty stroke shot but her attempt was denied by Bowdoin goalie Julia Arsenault to preserve the shutout for the Polar Bears
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Nelson-Marois had moments of brilliance, recording 10 saves in her 60 minutes of action, the first double-digit save performance from Wesleyan this season
- Jennings finished with three goals to lead the Bowdoin attack
- Bowdoin outshot Wesleyan 18-7 (14-5 in shots on-goal) while the Polar Bears racked up a massive 18-3 advantage in penalty corners for the match
UP NEXT:
Wesleyan looks for their first NESCAC win of 2021 in a Tuesday night showdown with in-state foe Trinity at 6 PM from Smith Field.