Jen Marino '09 had a bid to give Bates a 1-0 lead in the 64th minute.

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. -- Middlebury scored twice in the final 13 minutes to defeat the Bates College women's soccer team 2-0 on Saturday at Dragone Field. The Bobcats dropped to 4-7 overall and 1-6 in NESCAC play.

Middlebury (6-4-2, 5-2) won for the fourth time in its last five games while taking a 23-5 shots advantage in the contest.

Both teams had some chances in the first half. Bates saw a quick shot by first-year Tina Tobin (Lowell, Mass.) saved at the right post by Lauryn Torch 30 minutes in. The Panthers had some great looks in the 42nd minute, including a header off the post by Caitlin Parker, but Bates first-year keeper Annie Burns (Topsfield, Mass.) enabled Bates to escape without harm.

The Bobcats had a break-in during the 64th minute, but Torch cleared the ball away from senior Jen Marino (Methuen, Mass.) to keep it a scoreless tie. After some good offensive chances, the Panthers finally broke through at 76:58 with the second goal of the season from Annie Ford. Lindsay Walker fed Ford on the left side, as her blast from 18 yards out sailed just out of the reach of Burns.

Annie Rowell sealed the game for the Panthers with 2:02 left as she scored on a header with a feed from Paola Cabonargi.

Torch ended the game with two saves for her fifth shutout of the season, while Burns made eight saves for Bates.

The Bobcats will host in-state rival UMaine-Farmington in a non-conference game Wednesday at 3:30.

STATS: Middlebury 2, Bates 0