Sophomore Lily Peterson netted the game-opening goal, her second this season, in a 2-0 win over the University of New England on Oct. 10, 2013. File photo by Mike Bradley/Bates College.

LEWISTON, Maine -- Lily Peterson scored in the first half and Hannah Graves drove the nail in the coffin as the Bates women's soccer team defeated the University of New England 2-0 Thursday night at Garcelon Field. 

The win ended the Bobcats' (3-6-1) three-game skid, and was their first since Sept. 10. The visiting Nor'easters saw their two-game win streak end as they dropped to 6-5-1.

Holding a 9-1 edge in shots taken in the 24th minute of the game, the Bobcats broke through for the first score. The play began with a drive by senior Kara Stefaniak (Needham, Mass.), who passed off to the rookie Graves (Weston, Mass.) on the left wing. Graves crossed into the box to the sophomore Peterson (Duxbury, Mass.), who reached the ball before Nor'easter goaltender Brielle Robinson could and nudged it into the goal for a 1-0 lead. The goal was Peterson's second of the season, tying her for the team lead.

With 17:10 left, UNE's Margaret Palmer countered with a hard shot that barely cleared Bates goal and clanged off of the football crossbar behind. 

Bates then took advantage of several open-field opportunities with serious threats at the UNE goal, ultimately to no avail. First-year Jessica Vocaturo (Columbus, N.J.) attempted a hard shot from nearly 40 yards away that Robinson caught with arms fully extended. As the clock went under the 10:00 mark, Stefaniak crossed to sophomore Leah Humes (Beaconsfield, Quebec), whose header was saved by Robinson. With 8:10 to go, a nifty move by Stefaniak led to a left-footed shot that whistled toward the near post but was again turned away by Robinson.

With 22:45 left in the game, sophomore Caitrin Griffin (Geneva, Ill.) crossed to sophomore Julia Rice (Providence, R.I.) on a breakaway, and Rice's attempt to tap the ball past the advancing Robinson rolled slowly past the left goalpost and out of bounds.

With 22:00 to go, Robinson was put to the test again and came through, as Griffin's shot, bound for the near upper left corner of the UNE goal, was handled by the quick-handed keeper.

With Bates still holding a fragile one-goal lead, first-year Nor'easter Kayla Hamel drilled a shot through traffic but at Bates senior keeper Anabel Schmelz (Monmouth Beach, N.J.). A minute later, with 14:10 to go, a UNE corner kick resulted in a volley from the top of the box by senior Ellie Arsenault (Saco, Maine) that got past Schmelz but sailed just over the crossbar. And just two minutes later, junior Jayne Kelly (Hooksett, N.H.) made an outstanding turn and shot just high again from the corner of the penalty area.

The Bobcats put an insurance goal in the books with 9:58 to go in the game. Stefaniak initiated the play, backing in one-on-one against a Nor'easter defender to create just enough space to unleash a lefty cross. The ball passed the face of the goal, where Graves footed a hard volley past the defenseless Robinson. The goal was the first of Graves' college career. 
Schmelz's one save led to her second shutout this season and the sixth of her career. For UNE, Robinson made nine saves in an impressive performance.

Bates will next host NESCAC rival Middlebury on Oct. 19 at 11am; UNE will host Eastern Nazarene on Saturday at 1pm.