The Hamilton College women's lacrosse team travels to Bowdoin College's Howard F. Ryan Field for a 2013 NESCAC Championship quarterfinal against the Polar Bears on Saturday, April 27.
The game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. in Brunswick, Maine. Click here to view the live video stream and click here for live statistics. The winner advances to the semifinals, which will be played at the highest remaining seed on Saturday, May 4.
Nationally ranked No. 19 Hamilton (8-7 overall) tied for sixth place in the conference standings with a 4-6 record and is the No. 6 seed for the championship. The Continentals are 2-5 against ranked teams this year. Hamilton is making its second appearance in the championship in its second year in the NESCAC. In 2012, the Continentals advanced to the semifinals where they lost in overtime to eventual national champion Trinity College. Hamilton is led by Rachel Friedman '13, who is third on the team's all-time list with 176 career goals and 231 career points.
No. 6 Bowdoin (13-2) finished third in the conference standings with an 8-2 record and is the No. 3 seed for the championship. The Polar Bears -- winners of seven straight games -- are ranked third in the New England Region by the NCAA. Bowdoin has reached the conference championship final once in 10 appearances. The Polar Bears lost to Middlebury College in the 2006 title game. Bowdoin leads the NESCAC in caused turnovers and goalie Tara Connolly leads the conference with a .556 save percentage.
The Polar Bears edged the Continentals 10-9 in overtime on a bitterly cold and snowy day at Hamilton on March 22. The Continentals grabbed a 9-8 lead with 12:59 left, but Bowdoin tied the score with 10:13 remaining, and tallied the game-winner 45 seconds into overtime.
Team capsules for both programs are listed below.
No. 6 seed HAMILTON COLLEGE
Overall record: 8-7
Conference record (finish): 4-6 (T-6th place)
National ranking: No. 19
Head coach: Patty Kloidt, 11th year, 146-50
NESCAC championship appearances: Second
NESCAC championship titles: None
NESCAC championship record: 1-1
Last win vs. Bowdoin: 2010, 13-11
Road/neutral record: 4-4
Goals per game: 10.13
Goals allowed per game: 9.73
Leading goal scorers: Katie D’Antonio ’14 (31), Rachel Friedman ‘13 (27), Margaret Gabriel ‘16 (16)
Assist leaders: Friedman (17), D’Antonio (13)
Starting goalie: Dewi Caswell ‘14 (8.76 gaa, .491 save pct., 5-2)
No. 3 seed BOWDOIN COLLEGE
Overall record: 13-2
Conference record (finish): 8-2 (3rd place)
National ranking: Tied No. 6
NCAA regional ranking: No. 3 in New England
Head coach: Elizabeth Grote, 11th year, 127-60
NESCAC championship appearances: 11th
NESCAC championship titles: None
NESCAC championship record: 5-10
Last win vs. Hamilton: 2013, 10-9 in OT (March 22 at Hamilton)
Home record: 6-2
Goals per game: 11.60
Goals allowed per game: 6.73
Leading goal scorers: Carolyn Gorajek ‘13 (41), Jordan Smith ’14 (35), Mackenzie Schleicher ‘14 (22)
Assist leaders: Gorajek (22), Betsy Sachs ’14 (13), Molly Popolizio ‘14 (8)
Starting goalie: Tara Connolly ‘13 (6.89 gaa, .556 save pct., 11-2)
