Box Score BRUNSWICK, ME -- Despite a hat trick from first-year Michael Fahey and a comeback in the fourth quarter, the Williams College Ephs (0-1/0-1 NESCAC) fell to NESCAC rival Bowdoin College (1-0/1-0 NESCAC) in today's season opener, 11-6. The Polar Bears showed up ready to play, utilizing the home field advantage and their experience over the young Eph squad.
Williams did not let their lengthy road trip or young roster stop them from putting up a fight. They set the tone with the first goal of the game, and finished off the competition by tallying the final two points, as well. Though the score was not in the Ephs' favor, today's competition was a constant battle for possession.
The Polar Bears won the initial faceoff and worked the ball down for an early shot, relying on their strong attack. However, Williams goalkeeper Dan Whittam made the crucial first save and cleared it out.
Each team would then trade possession for about ten minutes, due to a series of missed shots and turnovers. Finally, sophomore Eph Jack Lauroesch broke the silence. He fired a shot past Bowdoin goalkeeper Connor Laughlin with 5:11 remaining in the quarter.
Polar Bear Franklin Reis answered back in a matter of minutes, tying the score at 1-1 with 1:10 remaining. With only two points on the board at the close of the first quarter, each team felt the pressure.
The second quarter proved pivotal for the competition. David Lee won the faceoff and immediately worked the ball down the field. Freshman duo Michael Fahey and Riley Hoffman then connected to regain the lead for the Ephs.
However, Fahey's goal was matched by Bowdoin's David Nemirov a few minutes later. With 11:39 left on the clock, the score was once again tied, this time at two goals apiece.
An Eph penalty resulted in a man-up situation for the Polar Bears. They took advantage of this one-minute penalty and netted a third goal.
The remainder of the second quarter was rewarding for Bowdoin, as Franklin Reis and David Nemirov, with the help of their teammates, obtained a lead of 6-2. Despite a last-minute time out, the Ephs were unable to answer back in the remainder of the second quarter. Halftime served as a necessary break while the Ephs strategized.
Riley Hoffman scored the Ephs' third goal after one minute of play, starting the second half much like the first.
With 13:58 remaining in the third quarter and a score of 6-3, each team fought for the next tally.
In a span of about seven minutes, eight unsuccessful shot attempts were taken, and Whittam and Laughlin each made four saves.
Eventually Bowdoin's Dan Hanley netted a goal to bring the Polar Bears' lead up by four points. And although each side forced turnovers with great pressure, Bowdoin found the back of the net twice more before the end of the quarter.
Despite a six-goal deficit, the Ephs entered the fourth quarter with resilience. Miles McCarthy replaced Whittam in the net, and Williams won yet another faceoff. Prolific scorer Andy Grabowski fought to make the difference, but went wide on a pair of back-to-back shots.
Michael Fahey was able to gain possession and score for Williams, adding a much-needed point with 14:16 remaining.
A slashing penalty on Williams gave Bowdoin another man-up opportunity, and again, the experienced team capitalized.
Though McCarthy made a handful of key saves in the final minutes of the quarter, the Polar Bears were patient, and tallied their tenth and eleventh points to finish their scoring for the day.
However, the Ephs refused to surrender. Freshmen Thomas Fowler and Michael Fahey each scored a point within the last two minutes, resulting in a final score of 11-6.
The strong first-year presence, as well as McCarthy's crucial saves, left Eph fans feeling proud of the team's versatility and depth.
Williams won 26 of 47 ground balls, as well as 14 of 20 faceoffs. Loughlin's performance in goal was strong, with 22 successful clears and 13 saves. In total, Williams keepers tallied 11 saves and 15 clears.
Coach George McCormack had a lot of positive things to say about his squad. He recognized David Lee, who dominated the faceoffs against strong opponent Rob Talcott.
He also acknowledged some of the younger Ephs, who made a significant difference in the competition. "Michael Fahey, currently our leading scorer, and Riley Hoffman really stepped up today. That was pretty neat," McCormack observed.
"Bowdoin had a really good second quarter against us, and that ended up making the difference. We did well with ground balls and faceoffs, but we couldn't come back from that run." However, the season ahead holds great promise: "We are ready to get right back at it," says McCormack.
The Ephs will be at Skidmore College this Wednesday, March 5 at 5:00 pm.
