Brunswick, ME – The first round of the NESCAC Tournament saw the #6 Williams College Ephs (9-7) pitted against the #3 Bowdoin College Polar (11-4) Bears. Despite a tightly contested opening quarter, the Polar Bears led early and often en route to a 14-4 loss for the Ephs.
The Ephs, after ending the regular season on a high-note, looked to continue their roll on the road in Maine. It was the home team, however, that picked up the early lead as the Polar Bears scored just a couple minutes into the game. The Ephs were quick to respond though, with
Calvin Caputo opening the scoring for Williams. Bowdoin re-established their lead less than a minute later to make it 2-1. The two teams settled into a groove and the frame ended at the same score.
The second quarter belonged to Bowdoin. Despite making eight saves in the quarter,
Matt Wetmore and the Ephs would concede six goals in the frame. Midway through the quarter,
Gavin Timoney would score the Ephs lone goal as the visitors entered the locker room down 8-2 with work to do in the second half.
The Ephs began to gain a foothold in the game as the third quarter began. The two teams battled back-and-forth for fifteen minutes with shots being almost level. Despite this, the Ephs could not find the back of the net to close the gap between them and the Polar Bears. Conversely, Bowdoin added on to their lead with two goals to make it 10-2 heading into the final quarter.
With a final fifteen minutes to continue their season, it was all to play for in the Ephs camp. Their opponents were up for the task, however, and added to their lead making it 12-2 six minutes into the frame. The Ephs would not let that stop them, as
Seamus Regan tacked on a goal to cut the deficit to 12-3. Bowdoin returned the favor with two of their own, before
Tucker Catlin found the net for the Ephs and made it 14-4. The clock would wind down and the buzzer marked the end of the run for the Ephs as they fell by a score of 14-4.
After the game, Eph head coach
George McCormack spoke about the game and the season saying, "Very proud of our 2024 team and especially our seniors. We had some fantastic wins this year but most importantly we had a terrific journey together. Our seniors set a high standard for hard work and enthusiasm, and our underclassmen will benefit immensely from that."
