NESCAC glory evades field hockey

Author: Sarah Bryan

Despite a tough loss this past weekend in the NESCAC semifinals, the Middlebury field hockey team will make its sixth consecutive and ninth overall appearance in the NCAA tournament.

The final four of NESCAC play took place at Tufts University Nov. 8-9, as four teams convened to fight for the conference title. In the semifinal match, third-seeded Middlebury fell 4-0 to Bowdoin, the number two seed. Bowdoin led at the half 2-0 and scored two more goals before the final whistle blew. For the past few years, Bowdoin has been Middlebury's consistent rival - the Polar Bears beat the Panthers 4-3 in last year's NCAA championship game - and this past weekend the Middlebury women were unable to get the ball into the back of the net. Nevertheless, Middlebury fought through to the end and put up a solid fight.

In the first half, the Polar Bears took the lead with two goals scored by tipping the ball off their sticks. While the score did not reflect it, the competition on the field was even as play continued back and forth from the offensive to defensive end. Middlebury played perhaps its best half against Bowdoin this season, yet was unable to get the offensive fire going inside the circle. On defense, in those first 35 minutes of play, keeper Caitlin Pentifallo '09 saved five shots. Total shots were 10-4 in favor of Bowdoin.

"Despite the final score, we felt that we had one of our stronger games against Bowdoin," said co-captain Pentifallo. "Statistically, we were pretty even with them in shots and corners, and unfortunately, we did not have a few key calls go our way."

Four minutes into the second half, Bowdoin's Lindsay McNamara scored off a disputed call in the circle. The goal had been taken away due to an unsafe pass, yet after reviewing the play again, the refs decided to give the Polar Bears the tally. 10 minutes later, Bowdoin scored again to bring the score to 4-0.

"After they scored two very questionable goals in the second half, we lost some momentum," said midfielder Lindsay McBride '09. "I was very proud, however, of how we played all the way to the end."

The Panthers outshot the Polar Bears 10-5 in the second half, a frame in which they took better control of the offensive game. Offensive stars Allison Grant '11 and Chase Delano '11 kept up the pressure to the final minute, taking eight shots on goal between the two of them, yet the team remained unable to capitalize as the clock ran down.

"We executed our corners well," said McBride, "but their defense played really well." The Panthers took seven corners to Bowdoin's six, yet were unable to finish on their set plays.

Regardless of their loss this weekend, the Panthers' strong season record (13-3) is keeping them alive through tournament play. Middlebury received not only a bid into the NCAA playoffs, but were granted a bye for the first round. The Panthers will travel to Bowdoin, the regional host, to face the winner of the first-round game between Lebanon Valley and New England College this Saturday, Nov. 15 at 1:30 p.m. Only 24 teams in the entire nation make the Division-III NCAA cutoff for tournament play, so clearly the Panthers have established themselves among Division III's best.