Semifinal contests get underway when the host Panthers and eighth-seeded Wesleyan take the field on Saturday at 11 a.m. The second semifinal game features fourth-seeded Connecticut College versus sixth-seeded Bowdoin at 1:30 p.m. Advancing teams will meet for the NESCAC trophy on Sunday at noon with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line.
Defending conference champion Bowdoin is making its third straight semifinal appearance after defeating Tufts, 1-0, last Saturday. Senior Nabil Odulate (Ellicott City, Md.) provided the only goal of the game when he received a pass from junior Patrick Kearon (Royersford, Pa.) in the 25th minute, as the Polar Bears went on to notch their first NESCAC postseason win over the Jumbos in three opportunities. Bowdoin boasts the second-best scoring defense in the league, allowing only seven goals this season. Sophomore Stevie Van Siclen (Carlisle, Mass.) has played nearly every minute between the posts for the Polar Bears, registering a 0.43 goals against average and a .877 save percentage. Bowdoin has been no stranger to tight contests, as it has played in six double-overtime games. Four of those games ended in scoreless draws. Seniors Andrew Jones (Scarborough, Maine) and Connor Keefe (San Diego, Calif.) lead the squad with four goals each, as the Polar Bears have received goals from 12 other players.
The Camels earned their first postseason win at home in a dramatic 3-3, double-overtime draw versus fifth-seeded Williams after advancing on penalty kicks. Sophomore Graham Koval (Crested Butte, Colo.) netted the equalizer with six seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime. Following a pair of scoreless frames, the advancing team was determined on penalty kicks, as Connecticut College came out on top, 4-2, after junior Pat Devlin (Washington Crossing, Pa.) scored the difference-maker. A pair of first-year players have energized the Camel offense as Mark Leon (Wrentham, Mass.) and Chris Lockwood (Glastonbury, Conn.) account for more than 43 percent of the teams' points. Leon has registered six goals and two assists for 14 points, while Lockwood has tallied five goals and three assists for 13 points. Junior Austin DaCunha (Brookfield, Conn.) has allowed 17 goals in 15 games for a 1.10 goals against average to go along with a .721 save percentage, as Connecticut College is making back-to-back semifinal appearances for the first time in program history.
Bowdoin won the only postseason meeting between the squads in the 2000 quarterfinals by the score of 2-0. On October 24, the Polar Bears scored two goals less than two minutes apart in the second half to defeat Connecticut College, 2-1.
All three games will be webcasted by the Northeast Sports Network (NSN) at nescac.nsnsports.net.
No comments:
Post a Comment