With the victory the Bobcats advance to the finals to face No. 17 Amherst Sunday at 11:00 a.m. 

The win is the second straight for the Bobcats (11-10) over the rival Polar Bears. They also beat Bowdoin in the NESCAC Championships on February 7. It's the fifth straight win overall for Bates and they've now won seven of their last eight matches. 

The Bobcats got off to a slow start with Bowdoin taking an early 2-1 lead. But a big rally from junior co-captain Charlotte Cabot (Dover, Mass.) earned her a 3-2 (10-12, 4-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-8) victory at the No. 5 position over Chloe Polikoff. Cabot's win changed the course of the match with the Bobcats cruising to victory from there.

First-year Kristyna Alexova (Boskovice, Czech Republic) picked up the clinching fifth win of the match with a 3-0 (11-9, 11-7, 11-9) victory over Sarah Nelson at the No. 1 position. It's Alexova's 11th straight win overall. 

First-year Vicky Arjoon (Georgetown, Guyana) and sophomore Blair Weintraub (New York, N.Y.) also picked up 3-0 victories. Arjoon beat Torey Lee 11-9, 11-8, 11-6 at the No. 2 position and Weintraub handled Nicole Ampatey 11-2, 11-3, 11-4 at the No. 8 position.

Life was a little more difficult for Hannah Conner '18 (Groton, Mass.), Molly Brooks '19 (Charlottesville, Va.) and senior co-captain Lauren Williams (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe). They all emerged victorious in tight battles.

Conner rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Mariela Mendoza 3-2 (7-11, 11-6, 4-11, 11-4, 11-0) at the No. 6 position. Brooks also found herself down 2-1 at the No. 7 position before coming back to beat Zoe Wood 3-2 (10-12, 12-10, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5). 

After the match was already decided, Williams finished off the day by beating Virginia Ross 3-2 (11-7, 7-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8) at the No. 4 position.

The 7-2 win improves upon the Bobcats' 6-3 win over the Polar Bears at NESCACs. 

Bates 7, Bowdoin 2 
Feb. 20, 2016 at New Haven, Conn.

1. Kristyna Alexova (BATES) def. Sarah Nelson (BOWDOIN) 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 
2. Vicky Arjoon (BATES) def. Torey Lee (BOWDOIN) 11-9, 11-8, 11-6
3. Alexa Horwitz (BOWDOIN) def. Emma Dunn (BATES) 5-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-3, 12-10
4. Lauren Williams (BATES) def. Virginia Ross (BOWDOIN) 11-7, 7-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8 
5. Charlotte Cabot (BATES) def. Chloe Polikoff (BOWDOIN) 10-12, 4-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-8
6. Hannah Conner (BATES) def. Mariela Mendoza (BOWDOIN) 7-11, 11-6, 4-11, 11-4, 11-0
7. Molly Brooks (BATES) def. Zoe Wood (BOWDOIN) 10-12, 12-10, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5
8. Blair Weintraub (BATES) def. Nicole Ampatey (BOWDOIN) 11-2, 11-3, 11-4 
9. Natalie LaPlant (BOWDOIN) def. Cata Robert (BATES) 12-10, 11-7, 5-11, 6-11, 11-9