BRUNSWICK, Maine – Senior goalkeeper Emily Horwitz made eight saves in the game but the No. 15 Amherst College field hockey team fell short to second-ranked Bowdoin College, 3-0 in its NESCAC opener Saturday at Ryan Field.

With the loss, Amherst falls to 1-1 overall and 0-1 in NESCAC play, while Bowdoin moves to 2-0 on the year (1-0 NESCAC). The Purple & White return to action on Sept. 14 when they travel to Keene State for a non-conference matchup beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Amherst saw one of its best scoring chances midway through the opening half as senior Sara Culhane found herself streaking down the right side while holding off a Bowdoin defender to gain inside position, however her shot was deflected just wide of the goal.

In the defensive end, Caroline Fiore '18 was a consistent presence in the outing; gaining positioning and intercepting a centering pass to disrupt a potential Polar Bear 3-v-1 with just over seven minutes to play in the first.

The Purple & White nearly cut into Bowdoin's lead at the 30:31 mark as Mary Grace Cronin '18 sent a shot towards net from point blank range, however Clara Belitz got her blocker on the ball to come up with the big save.

Horwitz made one of several athletic saves with time winding down in the first half to keep the Amherst deficit at two, running out to the top of the circle and making a well timed dive to breakup a 2-v-1 breakaway on the right side.

The Polar Bears held the edge in shots and penalty corners, 16-5 and 7-3, respectively. Mary Margaret Stoll '17 led Amherst in shots on target with two, while Horwitz (1-1) registered eight stops in the losing effort. Clara Belitz (2-0) recorded three saves in 64:40 in between the pipes for Bowdoin to earn the win.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• Bowdoin took advantage of a penalty corner opportunity 5:06 into the game to take a 1-0 lead as Kimmy Ganong deflected a shot from Emily McColgan into the goal.
• Two minutes later Johna Cook doubled the Polar Bear lead, finding her own rebound and sending a second effort past the Amherst netminder. 
• The Polar Bears struck early once again in the second, with Elizabeth Bennewitz ripping a shot from the top of the circle into the netting 4:12 into the half.