Dakota Donovan scored for the third time this week in Bates' 2-1 loss at Amherst on Sept. 28, 2014. (File photo by Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)

AMHERST, Mass. -- In spite of senior captain Dakota Donovan's third goal in as many games this week, the Bates women's soccer team accepted a 2-1 loss, their first in four games, Sunday at 18th-ranked Amherst College.

The win marked the fifth consecutive for the Jeffs, as they advance to 7-1-0 overall and 4-1-0 in the NESCAC. With the loss, Bates is now 6-3-0 on the year and 3-3-0 in league play, matching the program's best start through nine games since 2006.

Amherst applied heavy pressure offensively throughout the game and held a decisive advantage in shots, 29-to-5, and corner kicks, 7-to-1. Hannah Guzzi added her team-high sixth goal, while Rachael Abernethy registered the game-winner with her fifth marker of the year. As a team, the Jeffs recorded eight shots on net.

Bates' lone goal was scored in the second half by Donovan, while three other Bobcat players sent one shot each towards net. Donovan has matched her career high with five goals, and now has a career-high 12 points as well. She has scored in three straight games, including the game-winner at Trinity on Saturday.

The Jeffs' junior goalkeeper Holly Burwick stopped three shots in net en route to her seventh win of the season. Bates first-year Sarah McCarthy (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) registered six saves.

Amherst jumped on the board first when Quinn Phillips sent a cross to Guzzi, who headed in the score at the 22nd minute.

Roughly 20 minutes later, the Jeffs punched in the second marker of the contest right before halftime, when Abernethy sent one past McCarthy to the back right of the goal. The score proved to be the game-winner as Amherst entered the break ahead, 2-0.

In the 69th minute, Donovan cut the deficit to one when she beat Burwick to the ball.

Bates plays host to Connecticut College in its next game, Saturday, Oct. 4 at 11am.