Courtesy Bowdoin Sports Information

BRUNSWICK, Maine - The Bowdoin College field hockey team survived a scare from Skidmore, advancing to the NCAA Regional final with a 1-0 victory in an NCAA Division III Second-Round game on Saturday. The Polar Bears (17-0) remain the only unbeaten team in Division III and will host Rowan University, 2-0 winners over Cortland St. on Saturday, in Sunday's Third-Round game at 1:00 p.m. Skidmore ends their season with a record of 14-6.

The Polar Bears didn't take long to get on the scoreboard, as NESCAC Player of the Year Lindsay McNamara notched her record-tying 19th goal of the season to give the hosts a 1-0 advantage just 3:20 into the contest. McNamara finished off a scramble in front of the cage to tie Heather Hawes '00, Sheila Carroll '88 and Marissa O'Neil '04 for the program's single-season goal-scoring mark.

Skidmore answered later in the period with a pair of penalty-corner opportunities. The second of which resulted in a hard, low shot off the stick of Shaila DeLea that sailed just wide of the right post. Bowdoin made a bid to increase their lead before intermission, but Thoroughbred senior defender Greta Cosey kept the game close with a pair of defensive saves late in the frame.

Bowdoin maintained their one-goal edge for the second half, but it was Skidmore who had the best late chance to score. With under six seconds remaining, the Thoroughbreds earned a penalty corner and Chelsea Lisaius ripped a shot towards the cage that Bowdoin goalkeeper Emileigh Mercer kick-saved for her lone stop of the contest, sealing the victory for the Polar Bears.

Bowdoin out-shot Skidmore 18-2 and held a 14-3 edge in corners, but Thoroughbred netminder Liz Catinella kept her team close, making 11 saves between the pipes. Mercer was forced to make just one save- with seconds remaining- in her seventh solo shutout of the season and the team's 14th in 17 games.