LEWISTON, Maine – Seniors Julia Rafferty and Kara Stefaniak each scored goals as Bates College women's soccer defeated Tufts, 2-1, in a season-opening NESCAC win on Russell St. Field on Saturday afternoon.

"It's especially nice to get a NESCAC win at home. This group has worked so hard not only in the preseason but in the offseason to foucs on the process, and I think today we saw a lot of our intangibles," Bates head coach Kelsy Ross said.

Rafferty (Reading, Mass.) tallied the second goal of the game for the Bobcats (1-0-0, 1-0-0 NESCAC) in the 62nd minute, heading the ball home off a free kick from sophomore Caitrin Griffin (Geneva, Ill.). Griffin took the kick from about 35 yards out on the right side and found Rafferty on the back post.

The breakthrough moment for Bates in the first half came as Stefaniak (Needham, Mass.) found the back of the net in the 24th minute. Stefaniak took a pass from sophomore Leah Humes (Beaconsfield, Quebec) and maneuvered around her defender to her left side. Stefaniak then tucked a shot into the right side of the net past the keeper.

After putting in several dangerous chances earlier in the second half, the Jumbos (0-1-0, 0-1-0) finally found the back of the net as Alex Farris (Arlington, Mass.) controlled a pass from Blair Brady (San Antonio, Texas) and placed a shot past senior goalkeeper Anabel Schmelz (Monmouth Beach, N.J.).

Midway through the opening half, the Jumbos had a series of threatening chances. Schmelz made her only save of the first half off a sailing shot in the 28th minute. The woodwork bailed Schmelz out twice from there, as a Tufts shot went off the post in the 31st minute, and a second strike clanged off the crossbar at 39:52.

Earlier in the half – in the sixth minute – Rafferty put a header on goal off a corner from Griffin, but a Tufts defender stepped in front to keep the Bobcats off the board.

Next, Bates plays at Southern Maine on Tuesday at 4 p.m.