MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Wesleyan football team was downed at home by previously winless Bowdoin in a 25-17 defeat on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals (4-2) see their three-game win streak halted while the Polar Bears (1-5) land their first win in Middletown since 2008.
 
Facing a Bowdoin side that has been in search of a primary signal caller all season, the Polar Bears seemingly found their guy in Soren Hummel as the freshman made crucial plays through the air all afternoon against what had been the NESCAC's best defense all year.
 
Following a three-and-out from the Wesleyan offense on their first possession of the game, Hummel stepped into a throw over the middle and connected with converted quarterback Michael Wolfendale for a 78-yard score on the first Bowdoin offensive play of the game.
 
On the ensuing Cardinal possession, Wesleyan strung a couple plays together and crossed midfield. Then QB Matt Fitzsimons '27 completed a pass to TE Jake Saalfrank '29 who ran 26 yards into the Bowdoin red zone but near the sideline, Ferris Collins forced a fumble which landed right in the arms of Steven Vargo as the Polar Bears denied Wesleyan of a prime chance at points.
 
The two sides traded punts for the next 15+ minutes before the Cardinals put points on the board late in the second quarter. Wesleyan drove 62 yards down the field for a 1^st-and-goal from the 8-yard line but could only gain one yard from there, ending in a 24-yard Gage Hammond '27 field goal.
 
Wesleyan then got a blocked punt from Tommy Kilroy '29 with the ball landing out of bounds at the Bowdoin 5-yard line with 2:39 left in the second quarter. Despite another 1^st-and-goal situation, Wesleyan couldn't punch it in and instead of kicking a field goal on 4^th-and-goal from the 3-yard line, RB Angelo LaRose '27 was stuffed for a 2-yard loss as Wesleyan tried to go for six right before the end of the half.
 
Despite the missed opportunity, the Cardinal defense came up huge with a forced fumble by Will Orso '26 on the next Bowdoin play, Brody Alston '27 dove on the loose ball to give Wesleyan a third chance at a goal-to-go situation in the late stages of the first half. Taking over at the 8-yard line, it was 3^rd-and-goal from the 4 when Fitzsimons rolled to his right and found WR Donte Kelly '29 open deep in the end zone for the go-ahead score.
 
Receiving the second half kickoff, Bowdoin marched 77 yards down the field, converting a 3^rd-and-7 and 3^rd-and-8 along the way, before Hummel found Conrad Babka on the right side of the end zone to give Bowdoin a 14-10 lead.
 
Later in the third quarter, a muffed punt by Justin Meyreles '27 set Bowdoin up with 1^st-and-goal from the 10-yard line. Two plays later, on 3^rd-and-goal from the 12, Hummel lofted a pass to the right corner of the end zone which was hauled in by Cole Daignault to make it 20-10 Polar Bears. A high snap on the extra point saw the Polar Bears instead roll out and the pass into the end zone was caught by Jake Gaylord for a two-point conversion.
 
Needing a stop, the Cardinal defense turned Bowdoin over on downs early in the fourth quarter, and the Wesleyan offense came through with a TD-scoring drive to make it a one-score game. A pair of 21-yard completions to Kelly and WR Blake Newcomb '27 set up Wesleyan in the red zone and Fitzsimons found Newcomb open for a TD with 9:34 remaining, making it 22-17 Bowdoin.
 
Taking the ball back with 6:59 remaining, Fitzsimons was intercepted by Collins and a 43-yard return all the way to the Wesleyan 3-yard line looked like the final blow for the Cardinals' chances. However, the Wesleyan defense denied Bowdoin in close, and the Polar Bears were left with a 20-yard Caden Perry field goal that made it 25-17 with 2:41 left.
 
On a last-gasp drive, Fitzsimons dropped back to pass on 3^rd-and-13 from their own 22-yard line and he was intercepted again by Collins. Despite returning the interception for a touchdown, a penalty on the return nullified the score and Bowdoin couldn't cash in on a 45-yard field goal with just over a minute remaining.
 
Given one last chance, Wesleyan had the ball back with 1:01 remaining at their own 30-yard line with no timeouts. Facing heavy pressure all afternoon, Fitzsimons couldn't get anything going down the field and on a hail mary attempt as the clock expired, the ball was batted away by Noah Direnzo to seal the Bowdoin win.
 
Wesleyan outgained Bowdoin 343-244 and had 17 first downs compared to 11 for the Polar Bears. But turnovers and penalties proved costly as Bowdoin finished +3 in turnover margin while the Cardinals committed eight penalties for 90 yards in the game. The Cardinal ground game also struggled all afternoon, gaining just 23 net yards on 24 attempts.
 
The Bowdoin pass rush, headlined by the NESCAC sack leader Angus Leary, gave Fitzsimons no time to throw all afternoon. As a unit, the Polar Bears recorded 22 QB hurries and three sacks in the contest.
 
Fitzsimons finished 23-for-44, throwing for 320 yards and 2 TD but he was sacked three times and had two interceptions. Kelly led the Cardinals with seven catches for 97 yards and 1 TD. TE Keith Capuano '28 had a career day with five catches for 82 yards. Newcomb had six catches for 78 yards and 1 TD.
 
Wesleyan's defense was led by AJ Morris '26 who had eight tackles (five solo) and 1.5 tackles for loss. Dylan Connors '26 finished with seven tackles (four solo) and 2.0 tackles for loss.
 
The Cardinals look to shake off the defeat next Saturday on Homecoming as Wesleyan welcomes Amherst (4-2) for a 1 PM kickoff at Corwin Stadium on Andrus Field.