BRUNSWICK, Maine — The Middlebury College men’s lacrosse team saw a late rally fall short in a 13-12 loss on Saturday at Bowdoin in the opener for both teams.

The Panthers return to action on Saturday when they host Connecticut College at 1 p.m.

In this past Saturday’s game, a frantic first half saw the teams combine for 15 goals and Bowdoin emerge with an 8-7 lead on Donal Mullane’s third goal of the half. Russell Thorndike scored two early goals to spark the Panthers.

Three straight scores to open the third quarter pushed Bowdoin’s lead to 11-7, and they still led by 13-9 until the Panthers scored three times in the final 4:11, including two by Jack Sheehan. But Ethan Barnard won a faceoff for Bowdoin with 28 seconds to go, and the Polar Bears ran out the clock.

Sheehan scored five times to lead Middlebury, William Ryan tacked on three scores, Thorndike added a pair, and Billy Curtis finished with a goal and two assists. Panther goalie Finn O’Connor made 18 saves.

Patrick Fitzgerald led Bowdoin with four goals, Mullane and Jack Chandler each scored three times, and Barnard won 21 of 26 faceoffs. Robert Hobbs made 10 saves in goal, and Bowdoin outshot Middlebury, 49-36, and earned a 36-13 advantage in ground balls.