The Wesleyan women’s soccer team opened their 2012 campaign in Brunswick, ME only to leave goalless and more importantly, winless. A single goal in the first half was all it took for the Polar Bears to earn their first conference victory of the season and

he Wesleyan women’s soccer team opened its 2012 campaign in Brunswick, Maine only to leave goalless, and more importantly, winless. A single goal in the first half was all it took for the Polar Bears to earn their first conference victory of the season and deal the Cards the opposite result.

The lone goal of the contest came toward the tail end of the first half when a slew of key battles tilted luck in Bowdoin’s favor. At the thirieth minute of play, a Bowdoin winger was able to break through the Wesleyan defense. The Polar Bear launched a dangerous cross from the right flank, finding the foot of a Bowdoin striker for the eventual game-winning goal.

Despite Bowdoin’s initial break-into-the-box score, second-year starting keeper Jess Tollman ’15 kept calm and parried on for the Cardinals. She stopped nine shots on goal from Bowdoin, giving the Redbirds a chance at a comeback in the second half of the contest. Tollman was the main bright spot for the Wesleyan squad, showing tremendous  development as a goal stopper and as a field general between the posts.

Tollman’s effort, however, was bested by a pair of Bowdoin netminders, who split duty between the halves to stymie Wesleyan’s shot opportunities. The Cardinal women managed to fire off eleven shots that just weren’t good enough to make it past the Bowdoin defense on Saturday.

NESCAC lead goal scorer in 2011 and captain Laura Kurash ’13 set the pace for the Cardinal offensive, leading the bunch with three shots on net. Even with her strikes on goal, Kurash was unable to get to an early start for another torrid goal campaign.

If this weekend contest tells us anything about the upcoming season, it’s that conference games are going to be as grueling as ever. Hungry squads like Wes, Tufts, and Bowdoin will be hoping to scratch and claw their way up to the level of perennial giants like Amherst, Williams, and Middlebury.

If Wesleyan hopes to one-up its record-setting 2011 season in 2012, then the Cardinals are going to need to solidify their form and keep pace on both sides of the ball.

The next contest for the Lady Cardinals will be Wednesday, Sept. 12 at Eastern Connecticut State University. Meanwhile, the Cards will have one eye on Jackson Field, where they anxiously await their home opener versus Tufts on Saturday, Sept. 15.

deal the Cards the opposite result.

The lone goal of the contest came toward the tail end of the first half when a slew of key battles tilted luck in Bowdoin’s favor. At the 30th minute of play, a Bowdoin winger was able to break through the Wesleyan defense. The Polar Bear launched a dangerous cross from the right flank, finding the foot of a Bowdoin striker for the eventual game-winning goal.

Despite Bowdoin’s initial break into the box score, second-year starting keeper Jess Tollman ’15 kept calm and parried on for the Cardinals. She stopped nine shots on goal from Bowdoin, giving the Redbirds a chance at a comeback in the second half of the contest. Tollman was the main bright spot for the Wesleyan squad, showing tremendous  development as a goal stopper and as a field general between the posts.

Tollman’s effort, however, was bested by a pair of Bowdoin netminders, who split duty between the halves to stymie Wes’ shot opportunities. The Cardinal women managed to fire off eleven shots that just weren’t good enough to make it past the Bowdoin defense on Saturday.

2011 NESCAC lead goal scorer and captain Laura Kurash ’13 set the pace for the Cardinal offensive, leading the bunch with three shots on net. Even with her strikes on goal, Kurash was unable to get to an early start for another torrid goal campaign.

If this weekend contest tells us anything about the upcoming season, it’s that conference games are going to be as grueling as ever. Hungry squads like Wes, Tufts and Bowdoin will be hoping to scratch and claw their way up to the level of perennial giants like Amherst, Williams, and Middlebury.

If Wesleyan hopes to one-up their record-setting 2011 season in 2012, then Middletown’s Finest are going to need to solidify their form and keep pace on both sides of the ball.

The next contest for the Lady Cardinals will be Wednesday, Sept. 12 at Eastern Connecticut State University. Meanwhile, the Cards will have one eye on Jackson Field, where they anxiously await their home opener versus Tufts on Saturday, Sept. 15.