A goal by Catherine Fowler with just 26 seconds left in regulation propelled the third-ranked Middlebury field hockey team to its third-straight NESCAC Championship and fourth overall with a 2-1 win Sunday over second-ranked Bowdoin (16-2) on Ryan Field. The Panthers (17-1) garner the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and will wait for their opponent when the association announces the field late Sunday evening, while the Polar Bears will likely receive an at-large bid.

Bowdoin got on the board first as Meredith Tibbals centered a pass from the right wing to Rachel Kennedy, who redirected the feed into the back of the cage for a 1-0 Polar Bear lead at 9:10.

Middlebury answered with some offensive pressure of its own and scored off its first penalty corner of the game. After an initial shot by Fowler was stopped on the goal line by Bowdoin midfielder Colleen Finnerty, Hollis Perticone pounced on the rebound to even the score 3:36 before halftime.

The teams traded good chances to open the second half as Middlebury successfully defended a Bowdoin corner and looked to break out in transition. A hard shot from the wing by Bridget Instrum was kicked aside by Bowdoin goaltender Hannah Gartner, keeping the game deadlocked.

The Polar Bears fended off consecutive Panther penalty corners, as Gartner made another diving stop on Fowler. Bowdoin almost found the game winner with nine minutes remaining, but Middlebury goalie Emily Knapp made a charging save on a run by Kennedy to preserve the 1-1 tie.

Middlebury earned a penalty corner in the closing moments, and milked the clock to under one minute to play. Following the insertion by Alyssa DiMaio, Fowler rifled a low, hard shot that skipped through traffic and into the goal. Bowdoin could not sustain a possession on the other end as time expired.

Middlebury finished with a 7-5 shot advantage and a 5-2 edge in penalty corners. Knapp (17-1) made one save in the win, while Gartner (16-2) finished with four stops for the Polar Bears.

With the game-winning goal, Fowler has amassed 156 career points via 56 goals and 44 assists. That point total moves her into second in the program's all-time ranks, surpassing Heidi Howard's '98 total of 155.