DUDLEY, Mass. — Unfortunately for Bowdoin, the third time was the charm for Middlebury College.

Lucy Jackson, Lauren Greer and Elinore O’Brien all scored, Becca Shaw made two saves, and the Panthers handed the defending national champion Polar Bears their first loss in 26 games, a 3-0 blanking in an NCAA Division III field hockey semifinal at Vendetti Field at Nichols College.

Bowdoin suffered its first loss since Oct. 29, 2010 (1-0 at Tufts) and ends its season 19-1-0.

Middlebury, which posted just its second win in the last 14 games (including the five postseason matchups) against the Polar Bears, is now 17-3-0 and will in the championship game at 1 p.m. today at Vendetti Field.

“It was a terrific game. I thought both teams played very well,” Polar Bears head coach Nicky Pearson said. “Middlebury is a very talented team. We knew that. We’ve played them twice before. I think the difference in this game was they took their chances in the circle and we just didn’t put enough good shots on goal.”

This was the first time Bowdoin, which loses five seniors, allowed three goals since Nov. 14, 2010 (4-3 win over Lebanon Valley in an NCAA Division III third round game). Middlebury has scored seven of the 13 goals Bowdoin has allowed this season.

“They’ve been an integral part of the success we’ve had this year,” said Pearson speaking of Ella Curren, McKenna Teague, Emily French, Katie Herter and Elizabeth Klegg. “I look at their career, and they’ve had a wonderful career. I am very, very happy for them because I am aware of their dedication on a daily basis.”

The Panthers went up, 1-0, at 21:35 as senior Lucy Jackson tipped a shot by freshman Catherine Fowler over the glove of Bowdoin junior goalkeeper Kayla Lessard.

Panthers junior forward Lauren Greer, the nation’s leading scorer, scored on a no-look backhander from eight yards out at 30:53 to make it 2-0. It was the 35th goal for Greer.

“What happened on the field today was, really, what we hoped would happen,” Middlebury coach Katharine DeLorenzo said. “We planned on keeping a Middlebury style, very up-tempo game, wide open game. That can only work really if you’re players are in tune with where you’re going to put the ball and I thought our players did that well.”

Sophomore Elinore O’Brien scored at 50:56, dribbling in from 25 yards out and beating Lessard, to make it 3-0.

The Panthers had the Polar Bears flustered, the final goal really showed just how out of sync Bowdoin was while simultaneously putting a feeling of euphoria on the minds of the Middlebury bench.

“For that third goal to be scored in that manner,” DeLorenzo said, “where there were a bunch of wholes and a bunch of defenders spinning around just trying to make a play, I don’t think I had any thought that there would be any comeback or any change of pace for the rest of the game at that point.”

Certainly a let down for the defending national champs, but something for the underclassmen, all 17 of them, to build on for next year.