Emma Brinkman scored two goals as Bates College defeated Wesleyan University 12-6 on March 7, 2015. (File photo by Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. - Emma Brinkman and Moriah Greenstein combined for five goals and seven assists as the Bates women's lacrosse team downed Wesleyan University, 12-6 in NESCAC action Saturday afternoon at Smith Field. Brinkman scored three goals with one assist while Greenstein netted two goals and dished out six assists.

The victory gives Bates (3-1, 1-1 NESCAC) their first conference victory of the season, while Wesleyan (1-2, 0-2 NESCAC) is remains winless in coference play.

The Bobcats scored five unanswered goals in the first 14:18 of the half as Emma Brinkman (Rye, N.Y.) scored the game's first goal 39 seconds into the half, giving the Bobcats a lead they would never relinquish.  Juniors Kelan McCann (Shrewsbury, Mass.), Moriah Greenstein (Glenmont, N.Y.), and Alex Briody (North Kingstown, R.I) each added tallies early in the half, with Briody rounding out the early scoring on a free-position shot at 15:42 to give Bates the early 5-0 advantage. Wesleyan sophomore Liana Mathias got the Cardinals on the board with her first goal of the season at the 14:38 mark.

Bates responded four minutes later when junior Suzannah Smith (Brunswick, Maine) put the Bobcats ahead 6-1 on an assist from Greenstein with 10:45 left to play in the half. The next ten minutes remained scoreless on both sides, until Brinkman added her second of the game with 21 seconds left in the half. The Cardinals' Abby Wheeler added a free-position goal in the waning seconds of the half to make the score 7-2 at intermission.

The second half was deja vu for Brinkman, who opened the scoring with her eighth goal of the season on the feed from Greenstein, giving the Bobcats the 8-2 lead at the 22:41 mark. Wesleyan's sophomore Becca Phillips responded by netting a free-position goal at 20:48.

The score remained 8-3 in favor of the Bobcats for eight minutes before Briody put away her second goal of the game at 12:06 to give Bates a six-goal advantage. The Cardinals responded with two goals to pull within four at 9-5, but that was as close as they would get as Bates netted three goals in 39 seconds to thwart any thoughts of a comeback.

First-year Annie Duke (Englewood, Col.) started the flurry with a goal set up by Greenstein, then Greenstein scored unassisted, her team-leading 10th goal of the season. First-year Camille Belletete (Jaffrey, N.H.) notched her sixth score of the year on a feed from Greenstein to put the game out of reach.

Junior goalie Hannah Jeffrey had 11 saves for Bates in the win, while junior Nina Labovich had six saves in the defeat for Wesleyan. Ground balls favored Wesleyan, 15-10, as Wesleyan forced 22 Bobcat turnovers while committing just 10. Total shots also went to Wesleyan by a 25-21 margin.

The Bobcats now travel to Hoboken, N.J. to take on Stevens Institute on Sunday, March 8 at 11:00 a.m.