Contact: Ben Badua

BRUNSWICK, Maine - Rachel Tannenbaum '15 (Berwyn, Pa.) made a career-high 22 saves, but the eighth-ranked Amherst field hockey team dropped a tough 2-1 decision to #3 Bowdoin following penalty strokes at Howard F. Ryan Field in Brunswick, Maine. Knotted at one following a pair of sudden-victory overtime sessions, the Polar Bears converted four of their five strokes to secure the victory.

With the win, Bowdoin improved to 11-0 overall with an 8-0 mark against conference opponents, while Amherst fell to 9-2 on the year with a 6-2 league ledger. Extending their win streak over the Lord Jeffs to four, the Polar Bears are now 10-1 against Amherst since 2004, upping their all-time series lead to 14-10.

Hoping to get off to a fast start, an aggressive Bowdoin side recorded six of the game's first seven shots, but Tannenbaum made four saves during that stretch to momentarily keep the Polar Bear offense at bay.

Continuing to apply pressure, Katie Herter '12 again tested Tannenbaum, registering consecutive shots in the 18th minute, before Elizabeth Clegg '12 rattled a try off the post at 17:48. A busy Tannenbaum then turned away shots from Ella Curren '12, Emily French '12 and McKenna Teague '12, upping her save total to 10 in the first 19:32, but Herter finally broke through moments later, putting in her sixth goal of the season off a scramble in front of the net.

Looking to respond, the Jeffs' put a pair of Ellie Andersen '15 (Phoenixville, Pa.) and Krista Zsitvay '14 (New Vernon, N.J.) shots on goal at 28:41 and 29:59, but Bowdoin's Kayla Lessard '13 denied both tries to preserve the Polar Bear lead, capping off a dominating first half in which the home team racked up a 20-5 shot advantage.

Needing to regroup, Amherst began to push forward to start the second, winning a pair of penalty corners within the first couple minutes of action. Earning another corner in at 41:51, Katie McMahon played it into an open Sarah McCarrick, who fired a shot past Lessard to suddenly pull Amherst even.

Trying to regain control Bowdoin won five corners and outshot the Jeffs 7-1 over the next 15 minutes, but the Amherst defense held steady, with Tannenbaum recording two more saves to keep it at 1-1. 

Still deadlocked with just under two minutes remaining in regulation, Amherst won their ninth penalty corner of the afternoon, giving the Jeffs a chance to put away the game-winner. McMahon played the ball into McCarrick who put a rising shot on target, but Lessard make a big save to send the game into overtime.

Staying aggressive, the Polar Bears registered the frame's first six shots, but Tannenbaum made a four more saves during that span to keep Amherst level. Switching fields, the Jeffs responded by going on the offensive, winning five penalty corners, while launching three shots that prompted a trio of Lessard stops through the next 5:53.

With time winding down in the first sudden-victory overtime, Bowdoin won a corner of its own to the left of the Amherst goal. With a chance to put the Bears back out in front, Herter ripped a shot toward the Jeff cage, catching Tannenbaum out of position, but McCarrick made a game-saving defensive stop, knocking the ball out of the air to send the contest into a second extra frame.

Earning three penalty corners in the first seven minutes of the second OT, Herter and Curren put two more shots on the Amherst net but Tannenbaum again stood tall, turning away both tries to keep the Lord Jeffs alive. Winning another penalty corner with under five to go, Bowdoin's Kassey Mantoin '13 tested Tannenbaum with consecutive shots, but Amherst's standout keeper made her 21st and 22nd saves of the day to send it to penalty strokes.

Stepping up to take the first stroke, French buried her try past a diving Tannenbaum. Amherst senior Carly Dudzik '12 (Darien, Conn.) matched French, before Herter put the Polar Bears ahead 2-1 with a successful conversion.

Looking to keep Bowdoin ahead, Lessard stopped Madeline Tank '15 (Winnetka, Ill.) moments before Tannenbaum made a big save of her own on Clegg to help the Jeffs keep pace. After McMahon failed to convert her stroke, Matoin beat Tannenbaum to put the Jeffs on the verge of elimination. 

McCarrick momentarily kept Amherst alive with a successful fifth stroke, but Katie Riley '14 sealed the deal, sneaking the ball past the Jeffs' first-year netminder to give Bowdoin the victory.

The Polar Bears finished with a decisive 41-13 shot advantage and a 22-13 edge in penalty corners. Tannenbaum stood out defensively, with 22 saves in the loss, while Lessard made 10 stops.

Amherst returns to action on Thursday, Oct. 20 at Smith.