WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS– A third-quarter flurry of goals from the Williams College Ephs was not enough to stop the Bowdoin College Polar Bears in today's NESCAC game. The Ephs fall to 0-3 on the season after today's 17-10 loss.
The Polar Bears opened up the game just over two minutes into the game thanks to a low backhand shot by Emelia Krakora assisted by Sophia Sudano to take a 1-0 lead. The Ephs only needed one possession to respond and tie the game 1-1 after a tidy finish from Claudia Russell at the 11:48 mark. The Ephs took their first lead of the game with 9:47 remaining after chaos ensued around the goal, and Mason Yonge took the opportunity after a loose ball and scored.
The Ephs added to their lead with about eight minutes remaining in the first quarter after some beautiful work around the goal finished by Isabel Arvelo, assisted by Christina Halloran. The Polar Bears brought the game within one at the 6:40 mark in the first quarter after a goal from Colleen McAloon. Although a few good saves from Eph goalie Caitlyn Joyce, the Polar Bears tied the game up at the 3:35 mark thanks to a long-range shot from Annabelle Gersch.
The Ephs regained their lead with only two minutes remaining in the first quarter after a great cut from Shea Van Den Broek and a fantastic pass from Stephanie Wistreich that found the back of the net. Colleen McAloon got her second of the game after a high shot only 30 seconds into the second quarter to tie the game 4-4. The Polar Bears took the lead with 11:14 remaining in the quarter after a back post pass from Fiona Bundy to Charlotte Howie for the goal. After a free-position goal, Sophia Sodano added to the Polar Bear tally to take the lead 6-4.
The Polar Bears added two more to their lead thanks to Annabelle Gersch's and Sophia Sodano's second goals of the contest to take an 8-4 lead. The Ephs struggled to clear the ball, and the Polar Bears capitalized again after a goal from Peyton Mulhern to take a 9-4 lead with 4:16 remaining in the second quarter. Despite a challenging quarter, the Ephs finished the quarter with a free-position goal from Isabel Arvelo, which brought the game within four going into halftime.
The Ephs brought the game within three at the 11:36 mark after a good pass from Alison Norris to Claudia Russell, who ran almost forty yards piercing through the Polar Bear defense to score. The Polar Bears quickly responded to extend their lead by four thanks to Sophia Sudano's third of the game. The opening minutes of the third quarter was a back-and-forth battle. Shea Van Den Broek brought the score to 10-7 after an excellent assist from Mason Yonge.
The Ephs continued their strong third quarter after Madison Fulcher-Melendy came from behind the cage and scored high to bring the game within two; the considerable momentum shift from the Ephs was met by a timeout from the Polar Bears with 4:45 remaining. Fiona Bundy scored for the Polar Bears from a free-position-goal to stop the Ephs streak of goals which brought the score to 11-8 with 2:26 remaining in the third quarter.
Madison Fulcher-Melendy got her second of the game after some excellent stickwork and a high shot to narrow the margin to two with just about a minute remaining in the third quarter. The Polar Bears responded through another free-position goal from Fiona Bundy going into the fourth quarter to take the lead 12-9. Caitlyn Joyce ended the quarter with a fantastic point-blank save.
The Ephs started the quarter strongly after a nice dodge from Shea Van Den Broek and a clinical right-hand finish to cut the Polar Bear lead to two. However, the Polar Bears reinstated their four-goal lead after two free-position goals with ten minutes remaining in the game. The penalty struggles continued for the Ephs as the Polar Bears tacked on two more goals from free positions to take the lead to 16-10. The Polar Bears added one more to finish the game 17-10.
The Ephs travel to Lexington, VA to play Washington and Lee on Wednesday, March 23rd at 5:30 PM.
