Courtesy Bowdoin Sports Information

BRUNSWICK, Maine - Meg Coffin scored with just over 10 minutes to play in the first half as the Bates College women's soccer team defeated Bowdoin 1-0 in the NESCAC Semifinals on Saturday. With the win, the Bobcats (12-2-2) advance to play Amherst in the NESCAC Championship Sunday at noon, while the Polar Bears likely finish their season at 12-3-0.

Becky Macdonald set up Coffin's goal, finding her unmarked at the top of the penalty area. Coffin boomed a hard shot past Bowdoin goalkeeper Anna Shapell into the upper left side of the net. Once they gained the lead, the Bates defense and goaltender Lynne Antinarelli handled the rest. On top of the seven-save performance, Antinarelli also broke up several scoring chances by intercepting crosses and snagging corner kicks in the air.

She broke up Bowdoin's best scoring chance early in the second half, charging off her line to block a shot with her hands just outside the penalty area. The referee gave Antinarelli a yellow card and awarded the Polar Bears a direct kick at the spot of the infraction, but the Bowdoin shot sailed over the net and Bates held onto the lead.

Shapell made five saves for Bowdoin, while Antinarelli posted a season-high seven saves to tie a program record with her ninth shutout of the season. The win avenged a 1-0 loss to the Polar Bears in the final game of the regular season which gave Bowdoin the No. 1 seed in the NESCAC Championship, and breaks a streak of six straight losses to the Polar Bears.