For Immediate Release
April 9, 2009
Wellesley Sports Information
Wellesley Lacrosse Upsets Bowdoin
WELLESLEY, Mass. – The Wellesley College lacrosse team got a goal from sophomore Jenny Holland (Bethesda, MD) with 1:46 to play, as the Blue upset NESCAC power Bowdoin, 9-8, on Thursday afternoon in Wellesley. The victory improves Wellesley to 6-4 on the season while the Polar Bears even their record to 6-6.
Tied 6-6 at the half, Wellesley needed just :51 seconds in the second period to take a 7-6 lead. Blue first-year Meredith Roy (Merrimack, NH) netted a free position score to give Wellesley its first advantage of the contest. Kate Cushing (Danvers, MA) would add another free position score at 27:57 to push the Blue margin to 8-6, and match the largest lead by either team in the contest.
Bowdoin answered back just over a minute later, when Katie Stewart (Chevy Chase, MD) netted her fourth score of the contest to narrow the gap to one. After over 12 minutes of scoreless action, Bowdoin's Ingrid Oelschlager (Roanoke, VA) found the back of the net to tie the contest at 8-8 with 14:45 to play.
After the score, the Polar Bears pushed back, outshooting the Blue, 5-0, over the next 10 minutes of play. However, Wellesley keeper Mary Mattia (Atlanta, GA) saved all five shots to preserve the tie.
At 3:45, the Blue had an opportunity to take the lead on a free position attempt, but Bowdoin goalie Steph Collins-Finn (Menands, NY) made her 10th save of the game to keep the score at 8-8.
Wellesley finally broke through with 1:46 to play when Holland netted her fourth score of the contest to give the Blue a 9-8 advantage.
Wellesley's Loretta White (Northampton, MA) won the ensuing draw, but a turnover caused by Bowdoin's Becca Austin (East Millinocket, ME) gave the Polar Bears the ball with just over a minute remaining. In the waning seconds of the game, a Bowdoin shot that went wide, along with a turnover, sealed the upset victory for Wellesley.
Stewart led Bowdoin with four goals while Elizabeth Clegg (Hudson, OH) added two scores. Oeslschlagger and Katy Dissinger (Upper Brookville, NY) each chipped in with solo goals to pace the Polar Bears. Defensively, Emily French (Wenham, MA) and Dissinger recorded four ground balls apiece while Austin caused three turnovers. Collins-Finn finished the afternoon with 10 saves between the pipes for Bowdoin.
Wellesley's offense was led by Holland's four scores, while Roy, Cushing, Briana Roberge (Bow, NH), Molly Morrow (Bow, NH) and Caitlin Meeker (Columbia, MD) each added goals. White recorded two assists in the contest, while also registering five ground balls and four draw controls. Nicole Labbee (Florence, MA) picked up three caused turnovers while Katie Saylor (San Diego, CA) and Alexis Fischer (Orinda, CA) each added two. Mattia finished the afternoon with a 12-save effort in goal for the Blue.
Overall, Bowdoin held a slim 27-24 advantage in shots and a 19-13 advantage in ground balls, but Wellesley was stronger off the draw, with a 14-5 advantage in draw controls.
Bowdoin returns to the field on Saturday, April 11, at noon, when they host Williams College in a NESCAC match-up. Wellesley also returns to action on Saturday, hosting a 1:00pm NEWMAC game against Mount Holyoke College