In an emotional and thrilling NESCAC quarterfinal game, the No. 3 seed Bates field hockey team prevailed 2-1 in double overtime over No. 6 Bowdoin Tuesday night at Campus Ave. Field.
With the victory, the Bobcats secured their most wins in one season since 1982 and advanced to the NESCAC semifinals for the first time in program history.
The No. 7 nationally ranked Bobcats clinched the win in the 77th minute of action. Junior
Anna Cote (Auburn, Maine) weaved through a pair of Bowdoin defenders and got the ball ahead to junior
Maria Femia (Canton, Mass.), who tried an initial shot from the right side of the shooting circle that was denied by hard-charging Bowdoin goalkeeper Julia Arsenault. Femia was able to collect the rebound, pivot and lace a shot into the lower left corner of the cage for the game-winning goal, her eighth tally of the season and third game-winner.
The game was played in front of a capacity crowd at Campus Ave. Field on a night where the Bobcats honored their home city of Lewiston after a tragic week. Bates fans stormed the field in joy after Femia's game-winner.
"I'm really lucky to be surrounded by such a great community," Femia said in a
live post-game interview on Instagram. "I'm not sure we would have gotten through the week without one another. We decided we wanted to play for each other, play for this school, and play for this city. The crowd tonight played a huge role in this win."
