Courtesy Bowdoin Sports Information

NORTON, Mass. - The Bowdoin College women's soccer team lost to Ithaca College in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon, 2-0.

Bowdoin, which was competing in its seventh NCAA Tournament and first since 2000, finishes a tremendous first season under coach Maren Rojas at 12-5-1. Making its fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and a nation-high-tying 18th overall, Ithaca raised its season mark to 17-3 after registering its ninth shutout win in its last 11 games.

Sophomore Winnie Adrien, who took eight of the Bombers' 12 first-half shots, posted the game-winning goal in the 38th minute. After escaping a Polar Bear player, Adrien used a couple of nifty moves to elude another defender before depositing her shot into the lower left corner of the net. If it weren't for a diving save from Bowdoin junior goalie Kelly Thomas off an Adrien shot earlier in the half, Ithaca would have taken a two-goal lead into the break.

In the second half, Bowdoin's best chance came with 31 minutes remaining, when senior Ann Zeigler dumped a short cross into freshman Christina Aceto. Aceto lunged forward and got a good piece of the ball, but her shot landed just to the left of the target. Three minutes later, Thomas again came up big on consecutive shots by sophomore Amy Scheffer and junior Chelsey Feldman.

Feldman responded shortly thereafter, doubling the Bombers advantage at 62:28, as she took a pass from senior Colleen Masterson in stride after streaking down the middle of the field, took a few dribbles to escape pressure and knocked home her shot into the bottom right corner of the net. Ithaca finished the game with a 24-10 shot advantage and 3-2 edge in corner kicks.

Senior Aimee Meacham earned the win in net after turning aside three Bowdoin shots, while Thomas was credited with 12 saves for the Polar Bears.