Volume CXXXII, Number 4 October 4, 2002 f

Water Polo swims
SUEN WONG
STAFF WRITER

The Water Polo team faced a true test of its mettle and resolve in the first four games of the season, played last weekend at Colby College. The Polar Bears emerged from that fiery furnace victorious despite its 2-2 record.

In the first game of the weekend, Bowdoin helped their opponent. Because Holy Cross could only field 6 of the required 7 players for the game, Bowdoin loaned first-years Nisha Amanji, Julia Bach, and Alla Lescure as well as Coach Burcay Gurcan so that a game could be played.

Propelled by a dominating performance from Goal-keeper Lynn Furick '04 and Erin Turban '06 and Melissa Perrin's '05 first-ever gaols, the Polar Bears cruised to a 14-7 victory. Erin Turban'06, Bill Alto '05, Yaron Eisenberg '05, Nicole Goyette '05, Mike Long '05, Melissa Perrin '05, and Dave Harden '03 all netted goals for Bowdoin.

The second game on Saturday was an epic double-overtime thriller in which Bowdoin and Worcester Polytechnic Institute matched each other goal for goal until Harden scored in sudden death play after the second overtime period to give the Polar Bears a 14-13 victory.

With Alto, Goyette, Namsoo Lee '01, and Long leading a strong press that played to both Bowdoin's strengths and WPI's weaknesses, and Matt Loosigian '03 creating all sorts of offensive opportunities, Bowdoin entered the last minute of regular play up 11-10.

WPI, however, tied the game with 45 seconds left to send the contest into an overtime consisting of two 3-minute periods. Long scored for Bowdoin with 52 seconds left in the first overtime, but WPI answered with a goal of its own seconds later.

In the second overtime period, Harden scored early, but WPI scored with 13 seconds left to tie the game and send it into the three minute sudden death in which Harden scored the final goal to secure the victory. Alto, Goyette, Harden, Lee, and Long all scored for Bowdoin.

In the third game of the weekend, played on Sunday, the Polar Bears limited a very strong Bates team to one goal in the first period while scoring their first goal on a breakaway by Harden in the second period.

However, the immense depth of the Bates team finally took its toll as the Bobcats dominated the second half and handed Bowdoin its first loss of the season, 18-5. Goyette, Ian Kyle '06, Lee, and Long each had one goal for Bowdoin.

After a mere 15 minutes to recover from the Bates game, the Polar Bears were once again in the water, this time against a much improved Colby team. The Mules jumped out to a large lead, but the Polar Bears showed their resolve by storming back in the last period with a 7-1 run that fell just short.

Even though Bowdoin lost the game 15-12, they proved that they are able to fight their way back out of seemingly insurmountable holes. Kyle and Turban had strong performances for Bowdoin, and Long and Alto did an admirable job of keeping up with John Eck, Colby's All-American sprinter.
The Polar Bears look forwards to avenging the loss when they play Colby again this weekend at Bates.