Women’s Soccer Falls to Bowdoin in close 0-2 Loss

Plymouth, NH – The Plymouth State Women’s Soccer team fell to the Bowdoin Polar Bears this past Tuesday night in a close 2-0 match leaving the Panthers 4-2 overall after this non Little East Conference game against top 25 nationally ranked Bowdoin University. The first half mostly remained scoreless with both teams trying to find each other’s weakness. Plymouth State coach Keith Scarlett said after the game that Bowdoin had a strong back line of experienced upperclassmen that were “used to working together as one cohesive unit.” Plymouth State’s Jamie Coombs had several convincing shots on the goal as her aggressive play filled the holes in Bowdoin’s back line. The first point was scored by captain Melissa Anderson; a senior from Bowdoin with 1:53 left in the half, leaving Plymouth trailing 1-0 at the end of the first half. While this game did not count towards their LEC schedule, it was a litmus test for the Panthers of their abilities, and a one-point deficit was enough reason for the Panthers to come out hard at the start of the second half. Plymouth was challenged by Bowdoin’s speed, quickness, and ability, and their open field play may have seemed rushed. Coach Scarlett assured that it was merely “rushed by design,” and that as the game went on deep into the second half that the Panthers had better control of the game. The second half was a well-played duel and Coombs had a specific shot on Bowdoin’s goal that ignited the Plymouth crowd. In spite of the deliberate “tough yet efficient” style of play, the Polar Bears got the second goal of the game off a penalty kick by their other captain Cedar Goldman. The game left the Panthers 4-2 overall, and the Polar Bears at 3-1 who were ranked 6 in New England. Coach Keith Scarlett, who is in his fourth year as head coach, has a refreshing and simplified “one day, one game at a time” style that he feels works best for the PSU woman’s team as they face UMass Boston away this Saturday.