Box Score

LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates College women's lacrosse team put on perhaps its best performance of the season, but it wasn't quite enough to top No. 2 nationally-ranked Middlebury College Saturday at Campus Avenue Field. The Panthers scored four consecutive goals after the Bobcats had closed the gap to 6-4, and held off the upset bid for a 13-9 victory.

Middlebury (8-1, 5-0 NESCAC) built a 6-2 advantage by halftime with two goals apiece from senior Alison Perencevich (Concord, N.H.), junior Kim Walker (Ridgewood, N.J.) and sophomore Katherine Entwisle (Lower Gwynedd, Pa.).

Bates (4-4, 0-4 NESCAC) got two quick goals from junior Meg Coffin (Westford, Mass.) and first-year Caroline Thomas (Barrington, R.I.) to open the second half. But Walker, Perencevich, senior Channing Weymouth (Plymouth, N.H.) and senior Michele Bergofsky (Exeter, N.H.) each scored to boost the Panthers' lead to a game-high six goals, at 10-4, with 15:33 left in the game.

Bates battled back again, with three straight scores from senior Shannon Tully (Needham, Mass.), sophomore Molly Wagner (Longmeadow, Mass.) and junior Katherine Farmer (Madison, Conn.), prompting a Middlebury timeout with 8:39 to play. But Walker stemmed the momentum with her fourth score of the game, putting Middlebury ahead 11-7 with 6:59 left to play. Middlebury allowed three more goals but held on for the win.

In addition to Walker's four goals, Entwisle and Perencevich had three apiece, while Bergofsky collected four assists to go with her one goal.

Wagner, Thomas and Tully scored two goals apiece for Bates. Wagner added a pair of assists.

Middlebury first-year goalkeeper Blair Bowie (Washington, D.C.) came up with 10 saves to earn the win. Bates sophomore Katie Nickerson (Windham, N.H.) had six saves.

Bates plays at Trinity College Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.; Middlebury will host Skidmore on Wednesday at 4 p.m.