BRUNSWICK, Maine -- The Bowdoin College Polar Bears concluded an unbeaten regular season by topping the University of New England, 55-3, in a National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) match Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 1) at Pickard Field. 

The Polar Bears will be the top seed for the upcoming NIRA Division III Championship and host Norwich University in one semifinal-round matchup. UNE and Adrian College (Mich.) will square off in the other semifinal. That fixture will be played on the campus of Alfred State College in Alfred, N.Y. Both semifinals are slated for Saturday, Nov. 11, with the championship to be contested at Harvard University the following Saturday.

Bowdoin scored the initial 26 points of the contest before UNE got on the scoreboard with a penalty kick. The host would add three tries in the second half to complete their scoring.