BRUNSWICK, Maine  – Emma Stevens scored three goals and Kara Finnerty had a goal and an assist to lead the eighth-ranked Bowdoin College Polar Bears to a 6-0 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a non-conference field hockey game Sunday afternoon at Ryan Field. 

With the win, the nationally-ranked Polar Bears improve to 6-1 overall.  Bowdoin's lone loss for the season was to conference rival and top ranked Middlebury.  Southern Maine, suffering two consecutive losses this week, is now 4-3 overall.  Both teams USM faced, Bowdoin and Keene State, are mentioned in the most recent National Field Hockey Coaches' Association poll. 

Bowdoin struck early and led 2-0 three minutes into the game and never looked back en route to the win.  Elizabeth Bennewitz scored the Polar Bears first goal of the game off of an assist from Elle Brine just 2:44 into the game, before Stevens converted a Finnerty assist for the 2-0 lead 12 seconds later.  Finnerty scored the final goal of the first half, unassisted, in the 19th minute for a 3-0 lead at the half. The Polar Bears tacked on three more goals in the second half as Stevens scored in the 37th and 46th minute for the 5-0 final. Julia Gottreich scored in final seconds of regulation for the 6-0 final.

Southern Maine sophomore McKenzie Cormier (Hiram, Maine/Sacopee Valley) and freshman Lindsay Pych (West Milford, N.J./Morristown-Beard) split time in goal for Southern Maine.  Cormier played the first 35, allowing three goals and making eight saves.  Pych played the final 35, allowing three goals while making a career-best 11 saves.  

Southern Maine returns to Little East Conference action on Tuesday (7:00 p.m.) when it travels to UMass Dartmouth.  Bowdoin hosts Wellesley College on Thursday (6:30 p.m.) in non-conference action. 

–cac–