It took just a year, but the Bowdoin College field hockey team is right back in the NCAA Division III ‘Final Four.’
Bowdoin, led by head coach Nicky Pearson, returns to the Division III ‘Final Four’ after a one-year absence and will be making its seventh trip to the NCAA Semifinals in the last nine years. The Polar Bears claimed the Division III title in 2007, ’08 and ’10.
Senior captains Katie Riley and Olivia King were members of the 2010 team.
“I knew we had a lot of talent returning from last year,” said King, an English major. “We did lose some pretty big impact players, but there were still a lot of girls on the team who played a lot and stepped up.
“Going into the season I was really excited about what we could accomplish … I knew that we could continue to do well as we had in the past. I’m really excited that we’ve made it to the Final Four and that was something I definitely had in my mind in the beginning of the year.”
“I don’t feel that pressure at all,” said the 5-foot-2 midfielder. “I think that with the team we have, everyone’s really excited. We’ve worked hard and we deserve this. We all feel at this point we’ve made it this far and we want to be out there playing, that we deserve to be here.”
The 5-4 overtime setback to Middlebury on Nov. 10 (NESCAC championship) and a 1-0 Tufts loss back on Oct. 30 stand out in King’s mind.
“I think those games showed what type of team that we are and even though the Middlebury game didn’t go the way that we wanted it to, I think that we came out of that game proud of ourselves that we put together a really good game from start to finish. Everyone who was out there contributed and we knew that if we received a bid into the (NCAA) tournament we could go far.”
“We haven’t talked to them so much as far as the Final Four because we’re just so excited about going … that we’re just wrapping our heads around all of this,” said King. “Everyone realizes that this is the final dance, the big show, and it’s kind of unspoken … we really don’t need to say anything.
“But, at the same time, before we play, I think on Thursday or Friday we’ll probably bring the team together and make sure the freshmen know that regardless of what happens we’re playing together as a team. We want make sure everyone takes advantage of this and realizes that this is pretty special.”
“Every year we shoot for the ultimate goal of winning a national championship and a NESCAC championship,” said Riley, a government and legal studies major. “We fell a little short this year, but I think that’s a really cool part of our program in that every year we reload no matter who graduates.”
Riley felt the team could be good right from the getgo.
“The opening game of the year we won 4-1 against Wesleyan,” said Riley. “That’s huge against a NESCAC team, or any team in general. From that game on I knew. But, also the Middlebury game (4-2 win on Sept. 21) when we played them early on. I think that also reinforced that we could go all the way.”
Of her Final Four experience, Riley said, “It’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity even though we’ve done it a couple of times. I mean, you know that you have to play your best game for 70 minutes or 100 minutes, or however long the game is. It’s going to be a dogfight and it’s going to come down to which team wants it more.
“I think this is awesome. We’ve all worked so hard for this ever since we started playing field hockey or athletics when we were really little. I wouldn’t say it’s overwhelming, but exciting.”
This can be a pretty melancholy week for seniors.
“It really hasn’t hit me yet,” said King. “I don’t know if I’m in denial yet or what. I don’t think its sunk in, but playing this weekend and being with these girls for the last time, well …”
“Walking over to practice today (Tuesday) it crossed my mind that this will be my last after-school practice ever,” offered Riley. “But, at the same time, I’d rather be here than have my season end. I’m mostly just happy that we’ve gotten our season to go this long.”
On Pearson, both players are effusive in their praise.
“She’s such a mentor to all the girls,” lauded King. “I think that she not only pushes us every day in practice to be better players and teammates, but also to be students first and to put our studies first. She also likes to stress that we’re good people and good players, but good, all-around people.”
“She’s amazing,” concurred Riley, a 5-foot-3 forward. “I truly think that every girl who comes through this program comes out the best field hockey player she can be and the best person that she can be. She holds us to the highest accountability of what we can be on and off the field. I think she makes us great players and great people.”
Bowdoin
Riley leads with 19 goals and 16 assists, followed by Rachel Kennedy (18-8), Colleen Finnerty (9-8), Liz Znamierowski (7-2), Pam Herter (4-3) and King (1-8).
Goaltender Hannah Gartner has an 0.98 goals-against average, .746 saves percentage and six shutouts. Bowdoin has scored 85 goals and given up only 21, while outshooting its opponents 415- 114.
For their collective efforts, five players were named as NFHCA Division III All- Region Team members.
Riley and King, along with sophomore Kennedy, were all recognized as First Team All-Region selections. Finnerty and Kim Kahnweiler were tabbed as All- Region Second Team members.
Finnerty and Kahnweiler anchored a defense that allowed only 1.10 goals per game, ranking third amongst NESCAC schools.
Bowdoin received a NCAA first-round bye and defeated SUNY New Paltz 5-2 in a second round game hosted by Montclair State on Saturday, then went on to defeat the number-one ranked Red Hawks in the regional final, 1-0.
“Going into this season we knew we had graduated five influential players and needed several of the returnees to step up into starting positions particularly in our defense,” said Pearson, in her 18th year. “Beating Middlebury in September was a key win for the team, especially after we had lost to Amherst a few weeks earlier. Facing Tufts in the NESCAC semis was a significant challenge, but the win gave the team confidence as we headed into the NCAA Tournament.
“Having players who have experienced a Final Four really helps because they know the schedule and expectations. It’s exciting for them but not new and they can provide valuable leadership to the younger players on the team.”
Christopher Newport
For a second consecutive game, Shelby Judkins scored the lone goal and the defense pieced together a suffocating effort as Christopher Newport advanced to the national semifinals for the first time in program history with a 1-0 victory against Catholic on Sunday afternoon at Captains Turf Field.
On the defensive end, CNU (21-1) was strong. Bailey Lien has 11 shutouts and 20 wins, which is now a NCAA freshman record.
Top scorer is Bell Tunstall (18-11), followed by Lauren Cheathem (13-6), Kelsey Clark (13-1), Shelby Judkins (11-5), Marlene Lichty (7-5) and Allie Harkbarth (4-7),
CNU has racked up 83 goals and allowed 16 as Lien sports a 0.59 GAA and .854 saves percentage.
The Captains have also outshot opponents 569-169.
The only loss was 1-0 to then-eighth ranked Salisbury back on Nov. 9.
Salisbury
Salisbury punched its ticket to the national semifinals, earning a 4-1 win against Wellesley in thirdround on Sunday at Sea Gull Stadium.
The trip to the championship weekend is the 12th in program history, most recent being when the Sea Gulls won the national title in 2009.
Salisbury (16-3) was led in Sunday’s win by sophomore forward Samantha Johnson, who factored in all four goals, including tallying her first-career hat trick.
Salisbury has outscored opponents 72-12 with goaltender Rachel Clewer (16-2) sporting an 0.61 GAA and .847 saves percentage in 19 games.
Yumi Kim (12 goals, five assists) and Courtney Jantzen (14-1) lead with 29 points each, followed by Johnson (7-13), Mallory Elliott (11-4) and Summer Washburn (6-20).
Sophomore forwards Jantzen and Johnson were named to the NFHCA All- South Region First team, while senior back Katie Hastings and junior forward Elliott were Second Team picks.
The selections mark the 26th-consecutive year that Salisbury has had at least three All-Region representatives.
Jantzen is tied for the team lead with four gamewinning goals, and is scoring on nearly 25 percent of her shots. Jantzen has one assist on the season — a key one — as she set up Washburn’s game-winning goal in the final minute of a 1-0 win against Tufts on Saturday in the second round play.
Hastings has spent time on defense and in the midfield this season, helping Salisbury to the nation’s best team goals-against average (0.62). Hastings has made six defensive saves.
Elliott has put home three game-winners, including the overtime tally in Salisbury’s regular-season finale at Wesley College.
Skidmore
In a wild and exciting quarterfinal, Skidmore held off a late charge by Middlebury to advance to the national semifinals with a 3- 2 road win on Kohn Field.
Middlebury finished its season at 16-3, and saw a nine-game winning streak come to an end.
This will be Skidmore’s third semifinal appearance, the most recent coming in 2010.
Skidmore beat Keene 11-1 on Saturday to advance to the quarterfinals.
Kelly Blackhurst has popped in 32 goals to go along with 14 assists as Skidmore outscored opponents 96-46 and outshot them 487- 278.
Other top scorers are Dani DeGregory (19-16), Sam Skott (13-5), Krista Lamoreau (7-7), Jenn Hanks (7-3) and Melanie Webb (7-1).
Haley McDougall has played in all 22 games with a 19-3 record, 2.03 GAA and .751 saves percentage.
Skidmore is riding a 10- game win streak and during that stretch led in goals 52- 19.
Blackhurst and DeGregory were named to the 2013 Longstreth/NFHCA Division III North Atlantic First Team, while Hanks was selected to the Second Team.
Blackhurst was the 2013 Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year, and recorded a point in 18 of the team’s 22 contests. She tied an NCAA Tournament record with five goals in Skidmore’s 11-1 second round win against Keene State on Friday, and currently ranks fifth in Division III in points per game (3.25) and seventh nationally in goals per game (1.3).
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