LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates men's soccer team fell in heartbreaking fashion by a 1-0 score against Williams College Saturday on Russell Street Field, as an evenly and passionately played game ended with the Bobcats' fifth straight loss.

Nathan Song scored in the 83rd minute, kicking in the rebound after Bates first-year goalkeeper Bruce David's (Pittsburgh, Pa.) point-blank save on his initial shot following a Williams free kick.

Williams' win lifted the Ephs (7-5-2, 3-4-2 NESCAC) into seventh place in the NESCAC, with one game remaining in the regular season. Bates (6-8, 3-6 NESCAC) is tied for ninth place in the NESCAC with Hamilton with nine points. The Bobcats will host Colby, which currently sits in eighth place with 10 points, in the rivals' regular-season finale Tuesday at 3pm on Russell Street Field. The Bobcats will need a win in order to make the eight-team field of the NESCAC playoffs.

The game remained in a scoreless tie until the 83rd minute. A long free kick by Jake Peters fell into the penalty area and rattled between several players. Will Felitto got a foot on the ball and volleyed it toward the left post, where Song angled his body to put a hard volley on the Bates goal. Bates keeper David slid as he batted Song's shot away with his left hand, but the ball came back to Song and he punched in the second chance over David's reach.

Bates players, already frustrated for much of the game by the officiating, were again left protesting what they felt was a missed hand-ball committed on the play. David was injured on the play and replaced in goal by sophomore Luca Antolini (Yarmouth, Maine).

Prior to the goal, it was Bates who had the best scoring opportunities in the game. In fact, the Bobcats believed they had taken a 1-0 lead in the game's 17th minute, when junior Max McKersie (Arlington, Mass.) appeared to score with a low shot amidst a crowd in front of the Williams net in the aftermath of a Bates free kick. But as McKersie was shooting, Bates was called offside, and the goal was waved off amidst strenuous protest from the Bobcat bench.

Bates senior captain Owen Keleher (Corrales, N.M.) sent too high his attempt at a goal on a direct kick from 25 yards out in the 59th minute. Keleher got two more good chances, one later that minute and later again in the 64th minute, but the first went wide and the second sailed high.

Bates outshot Williams by a slight 12-10 margin and had a 4-3 edge in corner kicks, but the Ephs had a 5-4 advantage in shots on goal. Bates also was whistled for 16 fouls and drew three yellow cards, while Williams was whistled nine times and drew one yellow flag.

Ben Diffley made four saves in the shutout effort for Williams, and David also made four saves for Bates.