LEWISTON, Maine -- Tori Huang's unassisted goal in the 53rd minute was the difference in an evenly played game, as Williams College came away with a 1-0 win over the Bates College women's soccer team Saturday on Russell Street Field.
Williams (6-7-1, 4-4 NESCAC) held on to ninth place in the NESCAC with the victory and remains in contention to play in the NESCAC playoffs, with one game remaining in the regular season. Bates (3-9-2, 1-8 NESCAC) remains in 10th place in the conference and will play against 11th-place Colby (4-7-2, 0-7-2 NESCAC) in the rivals' final game of the season on Tuesday at 7:30pm on Garcelon Field.
Williams had a 19-7 advantage in shots, but the majority of them were of the non-threatening variety, thanks to an active Bates defensive line of sophomore
Rachael Mello (Douglas, Mass.), junior
Joanna Cloutier (Portland, Ore.), senior
Annie Doig (Wayne, Pa.) and first-year
Ellie Tyska (Natick, Mass.). The Ephs had an 8-4 edge in shots on goal and a 7-2 edge in corner kicks.
The scoreless tie lasted for over 52 minutes until Huang's spectacular goal. The first-year midfielder was in the right place to run up on a loose ball near the outer corner of the Bates penalty area. Huang turned and one-timed her shot going across her body, and the ball followed a high line over the outstretched arms of Bates junior keeper
Chase Crawford (Indianapolis, Ind.), under the crossbar and into the net for the 1-0 lead that the Ephs did not relinquish.
Bates put together three final scoring opportunities, but Williams keeper Chelsea Taylor made the save on shots by sophomore
Izzy Lussier (Suffield, Conn.) and junior
Elizabeth Patrick (Ipswich, Mass.), and a shot by sophomore
Audrey Soss (San Francisco, Calif.) from inside the box was blocked in the 62nd minute.
Crawford made seven saves in her first start of the season, while Taylor made four saves in the shutout win.
Bates celebrated Senior Day for the four members of its Class of 2022:
Lauren Berube (Auburn, Maine), Doig,
Sophie Matt (New Albany, Ohio) and
Kat Nuckols (Los Angeles, Calif.).