Hannah Jeffrey had 12 saves against Hamilton College on March 18, 2015. (File Photo by Kim Lloyd/Bates College)

CLINTON, N.Y. - The Bates women's lacrosse team dropped a 6-2 decision to No. 7 ranked Hamilton College Saturday afternoon in NESCAC competition.

The Bobcats (5-6, 1-5 NESCAC) were down only 3-2 at half-time, but were held scoreless in the second half despite out-shooting Hamilton (8-1, 4-1 NESCAC) six to five for the half. Bates held the Continentals to 21 shots for the day, but shot only 13 times themselves in a game dominated by defense.

Sophomores Kaileigh Maguire (Sudbury, Mass.) and Joanie Oates (Charlotte, N.C.) each scored a goal for Bates, while juniors Kelan McCann (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Moriah Greenstein (Glenmont, N.Y.) both dished out an assist. Bates dominated on draw controls, winning eight to Hamilton's two.

It took eleven minutes before either team got on the board in this low-scoring affair, with Hamilton's Morgan Fletcher netting the unassisted tally at the 19:00 minute mark. Caroline McCarthy gave the Continentals a 2-0 advantage on a free position goal with 13:26 to play in the first.

Joanie Oates put the Bobcats on the board less than two minutes later on the feed from Greenstein, but Hamilton responded with a second goal from Fletcher 20 seconds later. Kayleigh Maguire closed the gap to one when she scored on a pass from Kelan McCann with 2:16 remaining in the first and Bates hit the intermission down 3-2.

The Bobcats played tough defense in the second, forcing 1o turnovers and limiting the Continentals to only five shots in the half, but Hamilton made the most of those attempts with three goals. Junior Hannah Jeffrey (Greenwich, Conn.) turned away 12 shots between the posts and also led the Bobcats with four ground balls.

Bates won the battle of ground balls, 21-16, and first-year Ashton Chryssicas (Wellesley, Mass.), senior Aly Dowey (Pound Ridge, N.Y.) and  Greenstein each had three ground balls for the Bobcats.

The Bobcats return to action on Wednesday, April 1 when they host Bowdoin under the lights at Garcelon Field with a 7:00 p.m. start at Garcelon Field.