Bowdoin College survived a nerve-testing weekend. The Polar Bears won two playoff games against Tri-State teams by a combined 51-37, and have been rewarded with a trip to the USA Rugby Women’s DII College Fall Championship, hosted by ACRA, final four. It will be the Maine team’s second trip ever, the first coming in 2006-07, when it lost to eventual champion UC Santa Cruz.

A thrilling game evolved between Bowdoin and Tri-State champion Rutgers in a match that should have been saved for a later round (Tri-State #3 Marist and MARC runner-up Bloomsburg played the other Northeast Round of 16 match). After going up early, Bowdoin regained the final lead with five minutes remaining in the match, winning 29-23.

“Lead changes in the Rutgers game, and the fact that they often played a no-ruck style, made for an interesting game,” Bowdoin coach MaryBeth Mathews said.  “Bowdoin went up 10–0 in the first 12 minutes, but Rutgers came back and they took the lead, so we had to come back from a deficit, something we’re not used to.”

Randi London and Addison Carvajal accounted for those first two tries and remained prevalent forces throughout the weekend.

Rutgers responded well, dotting down two tries and going ahead on a penalty kick, 13-10. The lead changed twice more before halftime, as Carvajal’s second try and London conversion put Bowdoin up 17-10, and Rutgers’ unconverted five-pointer put the New Jersey team up 18-17 at the break.

Rutgers increased its lead to 23-17 in the second half and held that six-point lead for the next 25 minutes. Although time dwindled on the clock, Bowdoin remained composed, but Rutgers started to struggle with discipline. A penalty allowed a driving kick downfield and set up an advantageous lineout. Samantha Caras and Anna Piotti secured the throw-in and started the drive toward the line. No. 8 London eventually dotted down, 23-22, to bring the win into striking distance.

With five minutes remaining, Rutgers put the nail in its own coffin, relinquishing a penalty try, which Carvajal converted for the 29-23 win.

On Sunday, Bowdoin lined up against Tri-State’s #3 team, Marist, which had defeated Bloomsburg 71-17 on Saturday. The favorites built a 17-0 lead in the first half, initiated by some nice, quick ball-handling that allowed Carvajal's 50-meter try. Samantha Hoegle scored in similar fashion, going 30 meters for her try. London ended the half with her third try of the weekend, but it came at a price. The No. 8 had injured herself against Rutgers but was well enough for the Sunday start. She aggravated said injury and came out at half.

Le'Shauna Phinazee pushed her side’s lead to 22-0, capitalizing on a well placed lineout and established a comfortable lead.

“Marist picked up steam and played a very aggressive second half,” Mathews said. “Bowdoin scored early, but then had to match [Marist’s] intensity with defensive effort, sustain their two tries and conversions, and dig in to preserve the lead for the final 20 minutes.”

The Bowdoin defense withstood Marist, and the 22-14 win was enough to send the Polar Bears to Florida.

It was a great test for a team that suffered a couple of key injuries to its scrumhalf and strong-side flanker during the last few weeks, and replacements Georgia Bolduc and Cammie Ogden-Fung banked some important experience. Mathews also acknowledged the exceptional performances from London, Piotti, Carvajal, Phinazee, Emily Athanas-Linden, Sophie Meyers and Pamela Zabala.

The competition doesn’t let up, as Bowdoin will face reigning ACRA champion Winona in the semifinals, which will take place Dec. 6 in Palm Coast, Fla. For all of the DII playoff results and match-ups, click here.