Senior captain Sarah McCarthy recorded a career-high 17 saves to lead the Bates women's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Wesleyan University Saturday morning.
The Cardinals outshot the Bobcats 32-10 on the day but the Bates defense held strong throughout the match. In the first half, Wesleyan tallied 15 shots and McCarthy (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) tallied six saves, including two in the final five minutes.
After Bates took a 1-0 lead, the Cardinals didn't back down, forcing McCarthy to make a save later in the 82nd minute and in the 83rd minute as well. The Cardinals recorded their final shot on the goal in the 86th minute when McCarthy denied a shot from Katie Frizzell.
McCarthy's 11 saves in the second half were one shy of her previous career high in an entire match. The shutout marks McCarthy's third of the season and the eighth of her career.
Bates earned the draw on Sunday against the No. 4 nationally ranked Williams College Ephs despite being outshot by a count of 24-8. McCarthy made six saves in goal for the Bobcats.
McCarthy made one save through the first 83 minutes. Then she made two in the final seven minutes of regulation and three more in the first overtime period.
The Ephs' Sarah Kelly got a shot off just 55 seconds in to the first overtime period but McCarthy made the save. Then in the 92nd minute, Georgia Lord attempted a header that McCarthy turned away. In the 100th minute, a Bates handball gave the Ephs a direct kick from just outside the box. McCarthy denied an Alison Lu shot to maintain the score at 1-1.
The Bobcats (4-1-1, 2-0-1 NESCAC) are off to their best overall start since 2005 and their best start against NESCAC opponents so far this century.
