Camille Belletete forced a crucial turnover against Williams college on March 21, 2015.(File photo by Kim Lloyd/Bates College)

LEWISTON, Maine - The Bates women's lacrosse team battled back from a four-goal deficit late in the second half, but ultimately fell to No. 20 Williams College 10-9 in overtime Saturday afternoon in NESCAC action at Garcelon Field.

Bates (5-4, 1-3 NESCAC) was led by Moriah Greenstein (Glenmont, N.Y.), Suzannah Smith (Brunswick, Maine), and Joanie Oates (Charlotte, N.C.) who each scored two goals for the Bobcats. Williams (3-2, 2-2 NESCAC) was led with a game-high three goals from Becca Bell, while Nancy Palmer and Bridget Malicki each scored two goals. 

Malicki scored what would have been the go-ahead goal for the Ephs a minute and a half into the six-minute overtime, but the goal was negated due to an illegal stick violation. The Bobcats were unable to take advantage of the turnover, however, and Malicki ultimately scored the winning goal with 2:38 remaining.

The Bobcats trailed by four with 13:20 left in regulation, when Allison Dewey (Vergennes, Vt.) forced a turnover and won the ground ball, leading to Joanie Oates' second goal of the afternoon and cutting the lead to three at 9-6.

The Ephs threatened to push the lead back to four on the ensuing possession, but first-year Camille Belletete (Jaffrey, N.H.) forced a turnover that led both to a quick Bobcat score and a swing in momentum. Following the Belletete forced turnover, Bates scored three unanswered goals in a span of one minute and ten seconds.

Suzannah Smith started the scoring flurry for the Bobcats, wrapping around the crease and scoring an unassisted goal to bring Bates within two, at 9-7. 27 seconds later, first-year Teal Otley (Cumberland, Maine) won the draw and used a spin move to find the top right corner of the net and cut the lead to one. Sophomore Kaileigh Maguire (Sudbury, Mass.) tied the game 43 seconds later on the assist from Otley.

The first ten minutes passed with a combination of great defense and turnovers on both sides before Moriah Greenstein scored first with 21:10 remaining. Williams answered almost immediately on the tally from Nancy Palmer. Greenstein scored her second goal of the afternoon with a left handed shot to give Bates a 2-1 lead with 14:48 remaining.

The Ephs took a timeout to talk things over and responded with five unanswered goals by five different players in the last ten minutes to take the 6-2 lead into the intermission. The Bobcats opened the scoring in the second half, on a man-up goal from sophomore Sydney Cowles (Wayne, Pa.) at the 24:28 mark. The two teams traded goals over the next few minutes, with Becca Bell scoring a pair of tallies and Nancy Palmer adding another to give the Ephs the 9-5 lead before the Bates comeback.

Bates won the draw controls 15-9 for the afternoon while going 2-5 on free position attempts. Junior Hannah Jeffrey (Greenwich, Conn.) recoreded 12 stops between the pipes for the Bobcats.

Bates returns to action on March 25th when they host Tufts University at 5:00 p.m. at Garcelon Field.