Volume CXXXIII, Number 3 September 21, 2001 f

Women's soccer looking to Midd after mixed week
JOHN HERNANDEZ
Staff Writer

The Bowdoin Women's Soccer Team went into last weekend with a 2-0 record and an opportunity to get a jump on two of their most potent rivals, Williams and Wesleyan. Two victories would have positioned Bowdoin as the team to beat in the NESCAC; however, they suffered a tough 4-1 lose to Williams on Saturday.

Senior Erin Finn-Welch looks upfield in Saturday's home game against Williams. (Colin LeCroy, Bowdoin Orient)

The team played well against Williams on Saturday, but it was a day that simply did not seem to go their way. Senior tri-captain Jeanne Nicholson, who played outstanding defense for the team in both weekend contests, articulated the team's frustration with the loss. "Williams was definitely a disappointment, but the score did not reflect the intensity and even match-up that were on the field."
Although the Bears did not feel that they were outplayed on Saturday, they were only able to score one goal in the contest, netted by sophomore Jill Falwell. The women went home with an upsetting 4-1 loss.

The team rebounded from its Saturday defeat the next day, easily disposing of Wesleyan by a five goal margin. Six different Polar Bear players scored. According to senior tri-captain Katie Sheridan, the team's "...potential to have a variety of scorers is very promising. We can be an excellent team if we continue to have multiple goal scoring threats," she said.

Senior Lyndsey Sennott fed Shellie Chessie '03 for the game's first goal, one that Sheridan felt was perhaps "the biggest play of the game," she said. The Bears went on to score five more on their way to a 6-1 victory.

According to Nicholson, Sennott not only gave the team an early edge in the contest, but also was a catalyst for the team's strong play that followed. "This game was a positive sign of what is to come for the rest of the season," she remarked.

The Bowdoin women take on archrival Middlebury tomorrow at noon. Sheridan said that she expects the game to be fiercely competitive, with little margin for error. The Panther team has a host of strong returning players, including an outstanding senior goalie.

With a big rivalry on the line and a sense of urgency after their first NESCAC loss last weekend, the women's soccer team is hoping to play with intensity and come out with a big win this Saturday.