Wesleyan improved to 3-3 on the season with an 18-0 shutout of the winless Bowdoin Polar Bears this past Saturday on a rainy Saturday in Corwin Stadium. Fueled by a dominant defense that allowed Bowdoin just 171 offensive yards, the Cardinals got back to .500 on the season with just two games remaining on the schedule. Phil Banks ’07 led the offense with 70 yards rushing and a season high two touchdowns.

“The victory was awesome. It was a game that we should have won and everyone came out there and executed their jobs. The team energy was very high for the game and we were able to carry it out onto the field,” Banks said.

On just their second drive of the game, Wesleyan moved the ball 69 yards on 11 plays for the game’s first score. A balanced drive, highlighted by two first-down passes from quarterback Zach Librizzi ’08 to wide receiver Ryan Walsh ’09 and several solid runs by Banks, was capped by a five-yard touchdown run by Banks to put the Cardinals up 6-0 just 4:49 into the first quarter.

Wesleyan increased its lead on a defensive score. After punter AJ Taucher ’08 pinned the Polar Bears at their own 2 yard line, Bowdoin running back Jeff Smith was stopped on two straight runs. Defensive end Brian Mahr ’07 tackled Smith in his own endzone on the second run, giving the Cardinals two more points on the safety.

“The defense had a solid game with everyone playing their role,” Mahr said. “We got key contributions from some younger guys who are finally getting some opportunities to play.”

After a three-and-out by the Wesleyan offense, Bowdoin came to life and drove the ball to the Cardinal five yard line on a 14 play, 63-yard drive. The stingy Wesleyan defense came up huge again, stopping the Polar Bears on 4th and three from the five yard line. That was the closest the Bowdoin offense would come all day. The first half ended with Wesleyan leading 8-0.

Wesleyan capitalized on Bowdoin’s special teams miscue for their next score. Bowdoin return man Justin Starr fielded a Taucher punt, but was met rudely by Andrew Fiola ’08. Starr fumbled, and Fiola recovered the ball at the Bowdoin 13 yard line. Despite the great field position, the Cardinal offense was unable to advance the ball and settled for a 31-yard field goal by Chris Helsel ’09. The lead then stood 11-0 with 10:12 remaining in the third quarter.

Late in the third quarter, another superb punt by Taucher put Bowdoin on their own one yard line. Three plays later, the Polar Bears were forced to punt, and return man Jeff McClaren ’06 gave the Cardinals great field position with a 22-yard return to the Bowdoin 33 yard line.

The offense took over and soon extended the lead. Bowdoin helped the drive with a 15-yard personal foul penalty to give Wesleyan a first down on the 20 yard line.

Facing fourth and ten from the 20 yard line, Wesleyan gambled and went for it. Librizzi found Walsh once again, this time for 19 yards and a first down on the Bowdoin one yard line. Two plays later, Banks punched it in for his second score. After a successful extra point by Helsel, the Cardinals led 18-0.

Wesleyan’s defense preserved the shutout, even on the rain drenched, mud bowl that was Andrus Field. With plenty to celebrate after leveling their record, the Cardinals went mud sliding after the win.

“We knew that we had to go out there and dominate from the very beginning because that is the quickest way to deflate any kind of confidence from a winless team,” Banks said.

It only gets harder for the Cardinals. Their final two games are against two of the NESCAC’s best teams. Next Saturday they travel to Williams College to take on the 6-0, first-place Ephs who boast the league’s leading receiver and most efficient passer.

There’s no question how good Williams is this year, but Wesleyan remains confident.

“The next two games will probably be the hardest games of our season but neither team (Williams and Trinity) are unbeatable,” Banks said. “The league is very open this year and any game could go either way. The team is definitely excited to take on the underdog role and looking forward to upsetting a few of the leagues best.”