BRUNSWICK

Bowdoin freshman Ely Spencer scored twice to lead the Polar Bear men’s soccer team to a 2-1 win over 19th-ranked Tufts on Tuesday afternoon at Pickard Field.

The Polar Bears moved to 8-3-4 (4-3-3 NESCAC) and improved to 5-1-3 in their last nine outings. The Jumbos saw their seven-game unbeaten streak come to an end as they dropped to 9-4-2 (6-2-2 NESCAC).

The NESCAC regular season closes today and the teams will learn their pairings for the conference tournament.

Tufts controlled most of the opening half and had the best early chance to score when a flurry in front saw a shot deflect off of Bowdoin netminder Noah Safian to Daniel Sullivan in the center of the penalty area. His shot slipped past Safian but was cleared off the line by Bowdoin defender Michael Eppler to keep the game scoreless.

Bowdoin broke through with just one minute remaining in the opening half as Ben Ginzberg collected a loose ball and lofted a pass to Spencer on the left side of the box. Spencer ripped a perfectly-placed curving shot to the top-right corner of the goal, giving the Polar Bears a 1-0 advantage at intermission.

The Jumbos continued to pepper the Bowdoin net in the second half, taking 13 shots in all, but failed to find the net as Safian stopped seven shots, while Eppler and Will Herman both cleared shots off the end line to keep the one-goal advantage.

Spencer doubled Bowdoin’s lead with just 5:03 to go as Tufts was pushing upfield for the equalizer. Spencer stole the ball from the last Jumbo defender and came in one-on-one against goaltender Scott Greenwood, who got a piece of Spencer’s low shot. But, the ball trickled over the goal line to make it 2-0.

Tufts got one back in the closing seconds as a cross from Kevin Halliday was headed home by Christian Zazzali with just 11 seconds remaining. Safian stopped 10 shots in net for Bowdoin, while Greewood made one save in net for Tufts. The Jumbos held a 20-5 advantage in shots and 5-2 edge in corner kicks.

Both teams will open NESCAC tournament play with quarterfinal games on Saturday, quite possibly against each other. Tufts will be the second seed and will host a match, while Bowdoin will be on the road at either the sixth seed (Williams) or seventh seed (Tufts).

Women’s soccer

Tufts scored midway through the second half and held off the Bowdoin attack to close out the 2016 regular season by pinning a 1-0 setback on the host Polar Bears.

Bowdoin concluded the regular season with a 9-5-1 mark overall and 5- 4- 1 NESCAC record. The Jumbos finished 7- 5- 3 ( 5- 4- 1 NESCAC).

Neither team was able to score in the opening half, but both produced potential drives. Robin Estus fed Maria Harvey- Brown in the box 14 minutes into the game, but Harvey-Brown’s shot ricocheted off the crossbar. Morgen Gallagher nearly scored a goal going the opposite way 10 minutes later. Gallagher broke through a pair of Jumbos defenders on the right post and forced Emily Bowers to making a diving point-blank save.

Jess Capone, who eventually scored the game-winner, almost broke the game open in the final five minutes of the first half after beating a Bowdoin defender down the center into the box. Capone got a step beyond her trail and booted the ball, only to see Rachel Stout charge the play and cut down the angle. Stout dove to deflect the shot just wide of the post.

Capone tallied the game’s lone goal in the 72nd minute. Jenna Traccoli worked the ball down the middle and fed Capone with a through pass into the box. Capone’s one touch from the left redirected the ball and found the back of Bowdoin’s net.

Bowers ended the day with a pair of saves for Tufts, while Stout made six stops for the Polar Bears. The Jumbos held a 13- 9 edge in shots and Bowdoin edged the visitors 5-2 in corner kicks.

The Polar Bears have earned the No. 6 seed and will travel to third-seeded Middlebury on Saturday. The game is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m.