MEDFORD -- The Tufts University women's lacrosse team rallied from four goals down twice to force overtime only to lose to NESCAC foe Bowdoin College 8-6 on Saturday afternoon at Bello Field. Bowdoin goalie Stephanie Collins-Finn (Menands, NY) was spectacular in the cage for the Polar Bears, making 23 saves.

The #10 Polar Bears dominated the overtime on the strength of senior tri-captain Taylor White's (Wellesley, MA) two goals to seal the victory for the visitors. They improved to 6-4 overall and 2-3 in NESCAC while #18 Tufts fell to 6-5 and 2-4.

Bowdoin jumped out in front early, compiling a 4-0 lead in the first twenty minutes of play. Senior tri-captains Jill Steigerwald (Rutland, VT) and Bobbi Dennison (Freeport, ME) were the catalysts for the scoring sequence. Steigerwald collected two assists and Dennison had a goal and an assist. Steigerwald would add another assist in the second half to tally three for the day.

Tufts eventually got on the board at the 8:14 mark of the first half when senior co-captain Lauren Murphy (Hingham, MA) scored on a pass from junior Alyssa Corbett (Malvern, PA) to cut the Polar Bear lead to 4-1. The Jumbos went to halftime down only 4-2 thanks to freshman Alyssa Kopp's (Hollis, NH) unassisted goal at the 1:30 mark. Kopp and Corbett both finished the day with a goal and an assist.

The start of the second half featured Bowdoin scoring early again with goals from junior Lyndsey Colburn (Concord, NH) and freshman Ashley Peterson (Littleton, CO) for a 6-3 margin. But the resilient Jumbos scored three consecutive goals, including one to tie the score at 6-6 with just 46 seconds left by Murphy.

Collins-Finn kept the Polar Bears in the game all day by making several outstanding point-blank saves and coming out of goal to intercept five passes. Tufts goalie Gillian Kline (Chevy Chase, MD) played well for the Jumbos, accumulating seven saves between the pipes.

Bowdoin (6-4, 2-3) 4 2 2 = 8
Tufts (6-5, 2-4) 2 4 0 = 6

GOALS:
B, Ashley Peterson 2, Taylor White 2, Lyndsey Colburn 1, Bobbi Dennison 1, Kate Donoghue 1, Bridget Keating 1.
T, Lauren Murphy 2, Jenna Abelli 1, Alyssa Corbett 1, Alyssa Kopp 1, Maya Shoham 1.

ASSISTS:
T, Sarah Williams 2, Corbett 1, Kopp1.
B, Jill Steigerwald 3, Kauri Ballard 1, Dennison 1.

GOALIES:
T, Gillian Kline (60:00 - 8 GA) 7 saves.
B, Stephanie Collins-Finn (60:00 - 6 GA) 23 saves.

2007-04-14