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Schedule and Results

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. — In a battle between the top two teams in the NESCAC, the Bowdoin women team took a tough 63-51 win over No. 24 Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon. The seventh-ranked Polar Bears improve to 15-1 while the Cardinals drop to 15-2.

After Wesleyan led most of the first half, Bowdoin closed with a flurry, led by Kristi Royer's 18 first-half points to take a 29-26 lead.

"I hit my open shots and I was able to get a lot of easy looks in the first half," said Royer. "When that happens, it all just kind of falls into place."

Wesleyan tied the game on the first possession of the half and was clinging to a 41-40 lead when Lora Trenkle stole the ball and went coast-to-coast for a layup and drew a foul. Converting the three-point play gave Bowdoin a 43-41 lead.

That triggered a series of eight consecutive scoring possessions for the Polar Bears, giving them a 57-47 edge with 2:40 left. Free throws proved to be the difference, as Bowdoin connected on 13 of 15 from the stripe in the final six and a half minutes.

Royer ended with 28 points. Bowdoin also got 12 points from Trenkle and eight from Alison Smith. Royer ended with 14 rebounds. After snapping the Cardinals' eight-game winning streak, the Polar Bears have an eight-game winning streak and will host Williams next Friday night.

Contributing: Mark Simon